Karachi: Karachi Police Chief Azad Khan has ruled out the possibility of sabotage in the devastating fire at Gul Plaza, based on the preliminary investigation. Speaking to the media during a visit to the site, Additional IG Karachi Azad Khan stated that no evidence of intentional arson or sabotage has been found so far.
During the rescue operations, 14 bodies have been recovered, with authorities warning that more victims could still be trapped in the debris. Officials also confirmed that no injured individuals remain under treatment at hospitals.
Incident Overview
The fire broke out on Saturday night at approximately 10:15 PM in a shop selling artificial plants and flowers on the ground floor of Gul Plaza, located on MA Jinnah Road. Within minutes, the flames spread to the third floor, causing structural damage to several parts of the building.
Firefighters brought the fire under control after 33 hours, after which cooling operations continued to prevent flare-ups.
Firefighting Challenges
According to the Chief Fire Officer, two fire tenders of Rescue 1122 arrived at the scene around 10:57 PM. Gul Plaza has 14 to 16 entry and exit points, but narrow pathways hindered firefighting efforts.
The smoke-filled internal and external passages and shortage of water during the first two to three hours of firefighting significantly complicated the operation. Water tankers were delayed due to construction work near Gurumandir, and lack of crowd and traffic management further slowed the response. Foam was also used from the first day to control the fire.
Current Status
Parts of the building have collapsed at three different locations, leaving the structure unstable. Currently, 12 fire tenders, six water bowsers, and two snorcles remain on site to manage residual fire. According to officials, 90% of the fire has been extinguished, with 10% of internal materials still burning. By late night, all ground floor shops were cleared of fire.
