The Regent Plaza tragedy

It’s high time authorities concerned realise that ignorance with regards to fire safety is risky to say the least. A massive fire broke out in the ground floor kitchen of the Regent Plaza Hotel on December 5 in Karachi claiming the lives of at least 11 people as of now. Reports have confirmed that about 65 people including foreign nationals are currently being treated at the Jinnah Hospital. The worst part? The precise cause of the fire has not yet been identified; an investigation is currently underway and consultants are blaming a shot circuit. Horrific television footage revealed that guests were desperately climbing down from windows with chains of bed sheets. Smoke trapped guests in upper floors, suffocating many to their demise.

Perhaps the false sense of being safe from fire hazards explains why safety precautions were not put in place post Pakistan’s worst industrial accident that occurred in September of 2012. Flames ravaged a textile factory complex in the commercial hub of Karachi, slaying almost 300 workers trapped behind locked doors. It’s time questions are raised about the woeful lack of regulation in a vital sector of our country’s faltering economy. The government must immediately endorse public awareness of vulnerability, launch fire safety programmes and make it a law on paper that safety provisions must be adopted by establishments — big and small, ranging from factories and hotels to firms and supermarkets to reduce public risk. Fire catastrophes at commercial buildings cause a copious number of deaths in Pakistan every year as safety standards and protocols are rarely respected, hence laws must be established to remedy this lurking dilemma.

This recent incident got so out of hand that firefighters were only able to contain the blaze after three hours. This only validates the fact that not only do we need more fire exits, but also a more advanced fire rescue team comprising top-notch salvage gear and boosted manpower. Fires affect thousands yearly in our country, resulting in injury, mislaid customer trust and construction mutilation. By ascertaining a fire prevention and preparedness programme, the government can only help save precious lives and costly damages.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2016.

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