A large fire erupted at the Gul Plaza shopping mall on Karachi’s MA Jinnah Road on Saturday night, killing at least three people, according to officials.
Dr Sabir Memon, executive director of the Civil Hospital trauma centre, said three dead bodies had been brought to the facility. He said that all three were dead when they were brought to the hospital.
South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza told media that seven others were injured.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told media that the fire erupted in shops located on the ground floor. However, he said there were people stuck on the upper portion of the high-rise building.
“Six people have been injured and taken to the hospital,” he said. “Six fire tenders are busy controlling the fire; however, the situation is critical,” he said.
Garden Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Mohsin Raza said in a statement that the fire appeared to have been caused by a short circuit at one of the shops, before spreading to the entire mall.
He said that seven fire brigade vehicles were busy extinguishing the flames. He said that authorities at Civil Hospital had also been alerted.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, expressing concern over the incident, ordered the relevant authorities to immediately expedite rescue and relief operations, according to a statement from his office.
He also ordered an immediate report on the incident and firefighting operations, while assuring traders and others affected by the blaze of full cooperation.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar directed officials to divert traffic in the area to alternative routes for the safe passage of citizens.
In a statement, he said that the cause of the fire should be ascertained through a thorough investigation. He said that the building should be secured so that the fire does not spread.
The minister said the routes should be cleared so that fire brigade vehicles could access the scene.
Later, a Sindh Rangers spokesperson said in a statement that personnel had been deployed to the scene of the incident.
“Rangers personnel are actively participating in rescue activities and rescue operations along with the fire brigade staff,” the statement read. “Officers and personnel will remain at the scene until the rescue operation is completed.”
The statement further read that in addition to aiding in rescue operations, a contingent of Rangers had been deployed to cordon off the building for the safety of civilians and to ensure traffic flow.
“Alongside fire tenders, Rangers personnel are evacuating trapped people and ensuring the safety of valuables,” the statement read, adding that protecting lives and preventing the fire from further spreading was a top priority.
The development comes a day after at least 20 containers, mostly containing electrical batteries, were destroyed as a huge fire erupted at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on Friday afternoon.
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