The exact cause of the fire is still being investigated; Official documents reveal serious violations in the construction.
Affected merchants are left stunned after witnessing scenes of destruction at Gul Plaza. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Gul Plaza, a major shopping mall on MA Jinnah Road, was once one of the busiest shopping and wholesale centers in Karachi, attracting thousands of visitors daily. On January 17, a devastating fire engulfed the building and reduced it to ashes in a matter of hours.
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, but official documents have revealed serious violations in the building, raising concerns about compliance with safety measures and evacuation failures.
Records obtained by The express PAkGazette Data from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) shows that the number of shops built at Gul Plaza far exceeded those approved in the original construction plan. Some stores were built in designated corridors and exit routes, which could obstruct emergency evacuation.
Read more: Death toll in Gul Plaza fire rises to 26 as rescue efforts continue
According to an SBCA official, Gul Plaza was originally built in the 1980s. An additional floor was added in 1998, during which shops were built in the designated parking area and the rooftop was converted into a parking lot. The additional floor was later regularized in 2003 and the building owner obtained a completion certificate on 14 April 2003.
SBCA director South Kishan Chand said that as per the approved plan, Gul Plaza was allowed to have three floors, including a basement, with approval for 1,021 shops. However, documents indicate that around 1,200 stores were built.
“Records further show that the shops were built in corridors and exit passages, violating the approved designs,” Chand said. “These illegal constructions may have contributed to people’s inability to escape during the fire.” Chand added that the final determination on the causes of the fire, the delay in controlling it and the failures in evacuation will be made after the investigation team completes its investigation.
Also read: Protest over Gul Plaza tragedy as merchants and opposition demand help
The massive fire broke out on Saturday night and quickly spread from the basement and ground floor to the upper levels of the building. It burned for more than 36 hours, causing parts of the structure to collapse and leaving the building critically unstable.
Rescue and firefighting operations continued throughout Sunday and Monday, with crews battling intense heat, thick smoke and falling debris as they searched for trapped victims.
Karachi has witnessed multiple fire incidents in recent months, including fires at industrial and storage facilities, which have caused huge financial losses but no deaths.
Fires broke out in Mawach Goth, Manghopir North Bypass Area and SITE Super Highway Industrial Zone, triggering large-scale firefighting operations involving multiple firefighters and rescue teams as authorities battled strong winds, flammable materials and access challenges.
