'Gul Plaza management involved in fire tragedy'

Despite Rs10m monthly collection no fire alarm, firefighting system were installed

KARACHI:

A judicial magistrate south on Tuesday heard the Gul Plaza fire case in which a shopkeeper, Arif, recorded his statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). He alleged that most of the building's gates were locked, no fire alarm or firefighting system had been installed, and people were unable to find an escape route during the blaze.

During the hearing, Arif told the court that he had reached Gul Plaza around midnight and found flames at the building's 13 ground-floor gates, 12 of which, he claimed, were locked. He said a man was seen clinging to a window on the mezzanine floor and had died.

The witness said the fire spread throughout Gul Plaza within half an hour. He added that a fire had also broken out on the mezzanine floor in 2016, destroying 21 shops, including his office. An inquiry into that incident had found that Tanveer Pasta had not informed the fire brigade, he claimed.

Arif further alleged that although the building had a public-address system, occupants were not alerted. Videos showed people searching for a way out, but their escape routes were blocked, he said, adding that the electricity had also been switched off.

According to the witness, two stairways leading to the roof from the second floor had been blocked, while Tanveer Pasta had established an office in the rooftop area and placed scrap material in front of its entrance.

Arif claimed that around Rs10 million was collected every month in the head of maintenance charges from the building's five floors, in addition to revenue from billboards, mobile phone towers and parking contracts. Despite repeated requests, he said, the accounts had never been audited.

Referring to approximately Rs8 billion in financial assistance distributed by the Sindh government through the Chamber of Commerce, he alleged that applicants had to obtain verification from Tanveer Pasta to receive the funds.