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Grid infrastructurePakistanEIR-2790

Pole-mounted transformer fire damages pick-up in Karachi

2020Published 6 Nov 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

MinorElectricalProvisionalNext update 7 Nov
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
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supply cut for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordRoot cause hiddenFailed part hidden

Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): K-Electric

What happened

A pole-mounted transformer (PMT) caught fire late on a Monday night in the New Charlie Road area of Karachi, according to Dunya News. Eye-witnesses said a short circuit in the electric cable caused by the transformer fire also damaged a pick-up parked nearby. K-Electric was informed of the fire, but its staff reached the site late. A fire brigade vehicle brought the fire under control after K-Electric disconnected the power supply to the area. The report does not give casualty figures, the exact date of the incident or the cause of the transformer fire.

Contributing factors

According to eye-witnesses, the damage to the pick-up was caused by a short circuit in the electric cable following the transformer fire. The source does not state what caused the transformer to fail. It reports that K-Electric's staff arrived late, but does not say whether this affected the damage.

Lessons learned

  1. Utilities may benefit from setting response-time targets for transformer fires, as a late attendance can leave a fault active for longer.
  2. Operators should make sure fire services and the utility can quickly isolate supply to a failed pole-mounted unit.
  3. Vehicles and property near pole-mounted equipment should be kept clear, because a cable short circuit can cause damage beyond the transformer itself.

More lessons on fire suppression and firefighting, electrical protection and isolation, from every incident on the register.

Source

dunyanews.tv

Published 2026-11-06. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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Chart to reuse with this story: Grid infrastructure incidents by year, free with a credit (PNG).

Grid infrastructure incidents in Pakistan: 4 entries, with a free alert for the next one.

Substation and transformer fires: the counts, the latest entries and a free alert for the next one. Also: power line and cable failures.

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