KARACHI: At least five people have been killed in a large fire that erupted at the Gul Plaza shopping mall on Karachi’s MA Jinnah Road on Saturday night, officials said.
According to the latest updates, the fire is yet to be put out while a rescue operation is still under way, hours after the fire erupted.
Initially, 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.
On Sunday morning, South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza told media the death toll had risen to five.
Separately, Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan also confirmed the death toll to media, further stating that 20 people had been injured in the incident.
As of early Sunday morning, he said, the fire had been controlled up to 30 per cent.
The rescue service spokesperson said there were around 1,200 shops in the mall. “There are goods such as crockery, clothes, electrical appliances, cosmetics and perfumes in various shops, due to which the fire intensified.”
Khan added that on Sunday morning, 20 fire tenders from different departments and institutions were being employed to extinguish the blaze.
“But the building appears very old, and there is a danger that its structure may fall anytime because of the impact of the fire. Thus, the rescue operation is being carried out with extreme caution,” he said.
He earlier told media that the fire had erupted in shops located on the building’s ground floor.
Edhi, which is also participating in the rescue operation, said in a statement that a part of the part had collapsed due to the intensity of the fire.
Garden Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Mohsin Raza said in a statement on Saturday night that the fire appeared to have been caused by a short circuit at one of the shops, before spreading to the entire mall.
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.
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, which was issued shortly after the fire erupted, said. “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.
This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.
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