Report on RJ Mall fire incident submitted

Builder, management and A&I Foundation held responsible for the inferno

KARACHI:

The inquiry committee of the police constituted to investigate the horrific fire incident at RJ Mall on Rashid Minhas Road that killed 11 people 18 days ago has submitted its report to the Karachi police chief AIG Khadim Hussain Rind.

The four-member investigation team headed by DIG East Ghulam Azfar Mahesar included SSP East Irfan Bahadur, SSP Investigation East Saud Magsi and SP Gulshan Iqbal Ayaz Hussain.

The panel placed the onus on the builder, the management of the building, and A&I Foundation whose office was situated in the building.  11 people died of asphyxia during the inferno.

The cause of the fire was faulty and rundown wiring, it said. The report stated that the fire in the shopping mall erupted due to sparking in substandard electrical wiring and fire spread due to poor quality of electrical and false ceiling installations.

The fire broke out in the cafeteria on the fourth floor. Severe damage was caused in the mall due to the lack of fire exit and firefighting.

Regulatory oversight

The report further noted that the builder did not get the Completion Certificate which is issued by the regulatory body after survey and verification of compliance with the building bye laws.

The Cantonment Board Faisal also did not assure the completion of the building as per the building plan it had passed and verify the existence of a fire safety system, the document stated.

The elevator on the fourth floor of the building was sealed off for better air conditioning.

Read RJ Mall shopkeepers stage sit-in

Recommendations

The report recommends legal action against the shopping mall owner, management and A&I Foundation.

The document suggested that substandard buildings should be sealed immediately. Electrical wirings and installations should be made according to international standards.

In the report, compensation was recommended for the heirs of the deceased and those injured in the incident.

Utilities and civic bodies

The investigation report recommended that the utilities should not give electricity and gas connection to the buildings unless they provide completion certificate.

The relevant bodies and boards should issue clearance certificates after thorough inspection of the building. Moreover, the report proposed making mandatory the approval of all buildings by the fire department. Fire drills should be conducted twice a month in residential and commercial buildings.

The report further stated that the investigation team investigated the officials of 12 institutions. The owners of the building, the security in-charge, the administration and the families of the deceased were interviewed during the inquiry.

Reports of Cantonment Board, K-Electric and KMC Fire Department were also included in the investigation. Experts from NED University faculty of architecture also gave their opinion in the report.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2023.