Authorities say dozens of people may still be trapped as the fire spreads to the upper floors of the MA Jinnah Road shopping centre.
KARACHI:
A massive fire broke out Saturday night at the Gul Plaza shopping mall on MA Jinnah Road in Karachi, killing at least five people and injuring 20 others, officials said Sunday, as firefighters continued their efforts to control the blaze.
Rescue officials said the deaths were caused by asphyxiation due to heavy smoke inside the building. Twenty people were injured, several of them in critical condition, and were taken to Karachi Civil Hospital. The deceased were identified as Asif, Faraz and Aamir, while the identities of two others were 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 from across the city. Trapped people are being rescued using snorkels, he said.
Authorities said the fire had spread to the third floor of the shopping plaza, which also has a market in the basement. Rescue authorities warned that the building had been structurally weakened by the fire and could collapse at any time.
The president of the Gul Plaza Merchants Association said there were believed to be between 80 and 100 people still inside the building.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassanul Haseeb Khan said reports of a fire were received near shops in Gul Plaza, following which fire and rescue teams, along with ambulances and fire trucks, were sent to the spot. “Efforts are underway to control the fire,” he said.
Chief Humayun Khan said about 40% of the fire had been brought under control.
According to Express News journalist Mohammad Shah Mir Khan, the fire started about eight hours earlier and extinguishing efforts were continuing, but the fire continued to rage despite sustained attempts by rescue teams. Firefighters and rescuers have 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 begun to collapse.
The Water Board said firefighters and Rescue 1122 sought immediate help, after which an emergency was imposed at the NEPA and Safoora hydrants on the instructions of CEO Ahmed Ali Siddiqui. Water tankers were brought to the scene and the person in charge of the hydrants, Mohammad Siddique Tanio, remained in constant contact with rescue officials.
The board spokesperson said hydrant cell executive director Shehbaz Bashir was personally supervising the operation, ensuring uninterrupted supply of water to firefighters. Water tankers will continue to operate until the fire is completely extinguished, he said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the fire at Gul Plaza 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 other persons. The prime minister ordered all relevant departments to 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 Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar ordered authorities to take immediate rescue measures and create alternative trafficking routes to ensure safe access. He ordered an investigation to determine the cause of the fire and ordered officials to secure the building, prevent the fire from spreading further and clear access routes for firefighter vehicles.
The Sindh Rangers also joined the rescue operation on special instructions from the director general of the Sindh Rangers, deploying teams to assist in the relief 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 on the assessment of losses and rehabilitation measures.
Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and severe 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 future.
Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab also expressed grief for the victims and said firefighters and rescue teams were present at the scene and operations were ongoing. He put all departments of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation on alert to ensure immediate assistance to those affected.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the federal government was ready to provide all possible assistance to the Sindh government. He ordered hospitals to ensure prompt and quality medical care for the injured and said rescuing trapped people and controlling the fire were top priorities.
Following the instructions of the mayor, heavy machinery of the KMC reached the spot under the supervision of municipal commissioner Syed Muhammad Afzal Zaidi. KMC officials said rescue operations were being directly monitored and more machinery had been kept on standby if needed.
Sindh Assembly Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah and Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi also expressed their condolences, terming the incident a tragedy and urging acceleration of rescue efforts, adoption of effective fire prevention measures and full support to the victims and their families.
