Mall blaze ignites traffic chaos

Onlookers stopped by affected building, capturing videos with mobile phones

KARACHI:

Massive traffic jam left many commuters stuck on the road as the city experienced its second shopping mall fire incident within 11 days, this time at Arshi Shopping Mall near Ayesha Manzil.

Last month, on November 25, a tragic fire at RJ Shopping Mall in Rashid Minhas Road, Gulistan Jauhar, claimed the lives of 11 office workers, including the software house owner.

Just 11 days after this incident, a devastating fire erupted at Arshi Shopping Mall situated near the Ayesha Manzil in Federal B Area.

Fire brigade authorities categorised this fire as a Level-3 fire, prompting the mobilisation of firefighting vehicles from across the city. After hours of rigorous efforts, the fire brigade managed to contain the fire, following which the cooling and search processes continued till late night. The fire also affected the four-storey residential flats located above the mall's mezzanine floor.

Traffic flow disrupted

The fire's impact on the busy Shahrae Pakistan caused significant disruptions to traffic flow. The ensuing traffic jam led to long lines of vehicles, compounding the challenges faced by ordinary citizens. Many onlookers stopped by the affected building, capturing videos with their mobile phones. Consequently, the traffic congestion not only affected Shahrae Pakistan but also spilled into neighboring areas, causing severe difficulties for commuters.

Emergency at hospitals

Responding to the incident at Arshi Shopping Mall near Ayesha Manzil, Sindh Caretaker Health Minister Dr Saad Khalid Niaz declared an emergency at nearby hospitals, including Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Civil Hospital.

Read Three die as fire engulfs Karachi mall

As reported by the spokesperson of the Sindh Health Department, the bodies of three victims who succumbed to burns in the fire were transferred to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Additionally, two injured persons were admitted to the Burns Ward of Civil Hospital. One of the victims, with 100% burns, remains in an extremely critical condition, while the second, with minor injuries, received immediate medical attention. The Medical Superintendent of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital confirmed the identification of one of the deceased as 30-year-old Ghulam Raza.

KE takes preventive measure

Spokesperson KE stated that Power supply to Arshi Mall and its surrounding areas was immediately suspended in line with safety protocols upon receiving information about the incident. K-Electric staff remained present on site to extend maximum support to rescue teams.

Inquiry ordered

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressing sorrow and concern over the fire incident, sought a detailed report of the incident from the relevant authorities.

Sindh Interim CM Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar in a statement ordered Karachi commissioner to form a committee and submit report fixing responsibility of the fire incident. He expressed profound grief on the loss of life and property in the tragic incident.

Governor Kamran Tessori visited the affected Arshi Mall. Expressing sorrow oved the great loss, he lauded the erfforts of the fire fighters and rescue workers. He said it was necessary identify the causes leading to the fire to prevent such incidents in the future.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 7^th, 2023.