Karachi, Pakistan – A tragic night unfolded in the Pakistani city of Karachi after a massive fire engulfed the popular Gul Plaza shopping mall on MA Jinnah Road.The blaze claimed the lives of at least six people,
including a firefighter who lost his life while attempting to rescue those trapped inside.
An additional 22 people sustained injuries of varying severity.
The fire broke out late Saturday night and quickly spread, consuming more than 1,200 shops and warehouses.
As a result, authorities classified the fire as a Level 3 blaze.Rescue officials reported
that most of the deaths were caused by smoke inhalation, as dozens were trapped inside the multi-story building.
The likely cause of the fire
The intense heat also caused parts of the building to collapse.Consequently, this hindered firefighters’ access for hours.
Sindh Inspector General of Police Javed Alam Uddo suggested that a faulty circuit breaker was the likely cause of the fire,
pending a final technical report to determine the exact cause.Meanwhile, the Traders Association estimated
that between 80 and 100 people were inside the building when the fire broke out.
This overcrowding contributed to the high number of casualties.The Sindh provincial government declared a state of emergency,
and 22 fire engines and 33 ambulances from the 1122 emergency response service participated in the firefighting efforts.Additionally,
the Rangers and the National Water Authority provided extra water tankers.
Significant financial losses
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressed their deep sorrow.
They assured that the injured would receive the best possible medical care in the burns ward of Karachi Civil Hospital.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced that the government would support
affected traders who suffered significant financial losses.
A hotline was established to assist the public and report missing persons (0313-5048048).By Sunday afternoon,
approximately 70% of the fire had been brought under control, and cooling operations continued to prevent reignition.
Meanwhile, police closed roads leading to the Gul Plaza area to facilitate the movement of heavy firefighting equipment.
Shop owners who lost their livelihoods in one of the worst market fires in Karachi’s history anxiously awaited their fate.
