Fire rips through Gulberg mall

Blaze extinguished after nightlong operation by 22 vehicles

LAHORE:

Over 400 shops and the livelihood of their 6,000 workers were affected after a fire ripped through the Pace Shopping Mall in Gulberg after midnight on Sunday.

It was the second time a fire broke out in the building, revealed Rescue 1122 Director General Rizwan Naseer.

In addition, Hafeez Centre, a plaza across a road from the mall, was badly damaged by a fire in October 2020. Three years back, a fire had broken out in the basement of another building located nearby.

The rescue service reportedly received the first call about the fire at 12:45am.

The fire fighting operation continued the whole night, in which 22 vehicles and 92 rescuers took part.

The Rescue 1122 DG said the plaza did not have functional fire hydrants and proper emergency exit passages, causing problems in the fire extinguishing operation.

“It is the second time that a fire broke out in this plaza,” he told reporters outside the building along with other officers of his team.

He said the fire had been extinguished but the cooling process was under way.

On the other hand, a trader alleged that the management of the shopping centre had earlier asked the traders to vacate the shops.

Police took the official in charge of security of the plaza for questioning about the incident.

Lahore Commissioner Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman announced that an inquiry would be carried out by a high-powered committee having representation of several departments and agencies.

Some shopkeepers present at the spot also complained about inadequate safety equipment and measures in the building.

One of them said the dilapidated electricity panels and wires had not been replaced for quite some time.

The Gulberg Main Boulevard is usualy a relatively calm area at midnight as the markets are closed by 10pm and residential areas are situated at a distance. Only a few vehicles and open restaurants are witnessed amid the deserted look of the surroundings.

Thick fumes and flames emanating from the building drew attention of residents and commuters after midnight.

The shopping mall has four storeys with shops of garments, cosmetics, hosiery and other combustible items.

In a very short span of time, the fire spread to almost all the floors. The rising flames and thick fumes of smoke were seen from a long distance.

As news of the incidents spread, the traders and the residents of nearby areas rushed to the spot in addition to the police, rescue workers and media persons.

Explosions after brief intervals inside the building added to the gravity of the situation amid the flames and fire fighting vehicle sirens.

The DG of the rescue service said the cause of the fire would be confirmed after investigations.

He also appealed to the citizens, especially traders and plaza owners to ensure fire safety measures in buildings at all cost.

He stressed that functional hydrants and separate fire exits must be immediately arranged in all buildings.

Divisional Commissioner Muhammad Usman said that in addition to the investigation, another committee would prepare a report about the estimated loss caused by the fire. The report will be submitted to the government by the deputy commissioner.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar took notice of the incident and asked the authorities concerned to submit a report to him.

Some traders of the mall complained that the owners of the building had held a meeting with them two months back and requested them to vacate the plaza in return for as much money as they wanted.

They said the mall had been closed at 11:30pm as usual after powering off the main electric supply. They called for an investigation to rule out foul play in the incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2022.