Fire-hit plaza lacked emergency exits
The Karachi Metropolitan Fire Brigade Department of Baldia Town has released its investigative report on the fire incident at a shopping mall on Rashid Minhas Road. The report reveals alarming findings.
According to the report, the six-story shopping center lacked emergency exits, and there were no safety measures in place. The building did not have a backup power system in case of emergencies, and there were no illuminated signs indicating evacuation routes during the emergency. The report further states that at the time of the incident, 11 individuals lost their lives, and two hundred shops were affected.
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The report highlights that the lack of a ventilation system in the mall led to smoke-filled conditions, contributing to fatalities due to asphyxiation rather than direct exposure to the fire. The Fire Brigade worked to control the fire, receiving the alert about the incident within twenty-nine minutes after it started. The report has been submitted to the higher authorities for further action.
SP Investigation East Amir Saud Mugsi, Member of the Police Investigation Committee, visited the site on Monday. Later, while talking to media representatives he said that an investigation and fact-finding committee headed by DIG East has been formed to investigate the cause of fire. He mentioned that an engineer has also been included in the committee on the directives of DIG East. He said that many things were observed during the visit which the police will include in their report.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 28th, 2023.