Muhammad Imran, 56, a surviving crockery shop owner, witnesses a massive fire that broke out at the Gul Plaza shopping mall in Karachi on January 23. Photo: Reuters
KARACHI:
The final probe report into the Gul Plaza fire, which killed 79 people, was prepared by a committee comprising Karachi Commissioner Syed Hasan Naqvi and Additional Inspector General Javed Alam Odho, officials said on Wednesday.
The report, which will be submitted to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, includes details of the cause of the fire, firefighting and rescue operations, as well as statements from victims, eyewitnesses and emergency personnel.
According to the report, the fire broke out at 10:15 p.m. in a flower shop on the ground floor, where children were present. It spread quickly through air conditioning ducts, with most deaths occurring on the mezzanine.
The first fire alert was received at 10:26 p.m. and the first call for tenders arrived at 10:37 p.m. Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso arrived at the scene at 10:30 p.m., while Rescue 1122 personnel arrived at 10:53 p.m.
Besides, a joint investigation is underway between the Sindh Police Forensic Unit and the Punjab Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Force.
Experts use ARSEN technology to take samples from parts of the building that were preserved from the fire.
Read: FIR lodged following fatal fire in Gul Plaza; structural safety review underway
Officials said the investigation will determine the point of origin of the fire, the cause of the ignition and the reasons for its rapid spread in the large building.
Technical team from Lahore visited Gul Plaza
A technical team from Lahore visited Gul Plaza to carry out investigations. Officials from the police and district administration accompanied the investigation team, which included forensic experts, during inspections of various locations in the square.
Marking was carried out at places where the search process was completed, the urban search team said. The letter “H” was marked in different places, indicating danger and a risk of the building collapsing, according to the team.
Learn more: Death toll from Gul Plaza fire rises to 73, with 23 victims identified so far
Political conflicts
Political tensions in Karachi have intensified after the appearance of murals in several neighborhoods calling for placing the city under federal or military control, following the deadly Gul Plaza fire and a heated war of words between the MQM-P and the ruling PPP in Sindh.
Reading slogans “Karachi ko wafaq ke hawalay karo” (Hand over Karachi to the federation) and “Karachi ko fauj ke hawalay karo” (Handover Karachi to the Army) were seen in areas such as Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad and Haidery Market.
The messages were allegedly written by unidentified individuals late Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday. Videos of the chalking of the wall circulated widely on social networks.
Also read: Karachi walls call for federal, military control as tensions rise after Gul Plaza fire
One of the survivors of the Gul Plaza fire said she was grateful to have escaped, but noted that similar tragedies had happened before. “I thank God that I was lucky enough to escape the fire, but this is not the first time this has happened – Baldia Factory fire, Bolton Market, Co-op Market, RJ Mall,” she said.
Talk to The Express PK Press Clubshe questioned the lack of accountability. “Tell me who has been held responsible in previous cases, and even now. What will the federal government do if Karachi is handed over to them?” she said. “Karachi and its people have always been on their own for help (apni madad app). I think it is better to make Karachi independent and give it the status of a province.”
