According to police and a government official, a large fire broke out at a chemical facility in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, killing at least 15 workers and wounding several others.

The cause of the fire in Mehran Town's packed neighborhood was not immediately known. Firefighters were seen putting out the flames while ambulances continued to bring wounded to a government hospital, according to television footage.

Murtaza Wahab, the city's senior official, told reporters that the fire had been nearly quenched. Officers have been instructed to look into the cause of the fire, he said.

Officers would also look to see if the owner has fitted fire extinguishing equipment, he said.

Many people have set up industries in residential neighborhoods in contravention of construction standards in Karachi, the metropolis of Sindh province.

In 2012, a huge fire at a factory in the Baldia area killed over 260 workers, illustrating the hazardous working conditions in some businesses.