Officials say dozens of people could still be trapped as the fire spreads to the upper floors of the MA Jinnah Road mall.
KARACHI:
A massive fire broke out late Saturday evening at the Gul Plaza shopping mall on MA Jinnah Road in Karachi, killing at least five people and injuring 20 others, authorities said on Sunday, as firefighters continued their efforts to bring the blaze under control.
Emergency services said the deaths were due to suffocation from the thick smoke inside the building. Twenty people were injured, several of them in critical condition, and were transferred to the Civil Hospital in Karachi. The deceased were identified as Asif, Faraz and Aamir, while the identities of two others were being confirmed.
The fire chief said all the shops and warehouses on the ground floor were engulfed in flames. The fire was declared third degree, prompting authorities to call firefighters throughout the city. The trapped people were rescued using snorkels, he said.
Authorities said the fire spread to the third floor of the mall, which also houses a basement market. Emergency services warned that the building had become structurally fragile due to the fire and could collapse at any time.
The president of the Gul Plaza Traders Association said between 80 and 100 people were believed to be still inside the building.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassanul Haseeb Khan said reports of a fire near shops in Gul Plaza were received, following which fire and rescue teams, along with ambulances and fire trucks, were rushed to the scene. “Efforts to control the fire continue,” he said.
Chief Humayun Khan said about 40 percent of the fire had been contained.
According to Express News journalist Mohammad Shah Mir Khan, the fire broke out around eight hours earlier and fire-fighting efforts were continuing, but the fire continued to flare despite sustained attempts by rescue teams. Firefighters and rescue workers had so far been unable to enter the building due to the intensity of the fire, he said, adding that parts of the structure, including the pillars, had started to collapse.
The Water Board said firefighters and Rescue 1122 requested immediate assistance, after which an emergency was imposed at NEPA and Safoora hydrants on the instructions of CEO Ahmed Ali Siddiqui. Water tankers were dispatched to the site and the head of the fire hydrant cell, Mohammad Siddique Tanio, remained in constant contact with the emergency services.
The council spokesperson said fire hydrant cell CEO Shehbaz Bashir was personally supervising the operation, ensuring uninterrupted water supply to the firefighters. The tankers will continue to operate until the fire is completely extinguished, he said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sadness over the fire incident at Gul Square in Karachi. All possible measures must be taken to protect people’s lives and property, the Prime Minister said.
He ordered that all possible assistance be provided to the affected traders and others. The Prime Minister requested that all relevant departments work together in the rescue operation.
He said he shared the grief of the families of those who lost their lives, also ordered that all necessary medical facilities be provided to the injured and prayed for their speedy recovery.
Sindh Interior Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar has ordered authorities to take immediate rescue measures and create alternative travel routes to ensure safe access. He ordered an investigation to determine the cause of the fire and asked authorities to secure the building, prevent the fire from spreading and clear access routes for fire engines.
The Sindh Rangers also joined the rescue operation on special instructions of the Director General Rangers Sindh, deploying teams to assist in the rescue efforts, a spokesperson said.
Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori visited the site, met the affected traders and reviewed the rescue and relief operations. He gave immediate instructions regarding loss assessment and rehabilitation measures.
Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed deep sadness over the loss of lives and heavy financial damage caused by the fire. He offered his condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
He directed the Sindh Chief Minister and Karachi Mayor to use all available resources for firefighting and rescue operations and ordered a transparent investigation to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Karachi Mayor’s lawyer Murtaza Wahab also expressed grief over the victims, saying that fire fighters and rescue teams were present at the site and operations were underway. He put all departments of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation on alert to ensure immediate assistance to the affected people.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the federal government was ready to provide all possible assistance to the Sindh government. He asked hospitals to ensure prompt and quality medical care to the injured and said rescuing the trapped people and containing the fire were top priorities.
On the instructions of the mayor, KMC heavy machinery arrived at the site under the supervision of municipal commissioner Syed Muhammad Afzal Zaidi. KMC officials said rescue operations were directly monitored and more machines were kept on standby if necessary.
Sindh Assembly Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah and Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi also expressed their condolences, terming the incident a tragedy and calling for faster relief efforts, effective fire prevention measures and full support to the victims and their families.
