TV footage showed firefighters fighting the flames while wearing protective gear. Karachi: At least three people were killed and over a dozen more were injured when a big fire broke out in a multistory shopping center late on Saturday in Karachi, the largest southern city in Pakistan, according to police and rescue officials. Following reports of the fire, firefighters and rescue personnel raced to the Gul Plaza just after 10 p.m. local time, according to police and rescuer officials. The local media reported that as the fire started and quickly spread, the majority of store owners were either closing their establishments or had already departed.
The origin of the fire was not immediately identified. After the fire was put out, police indicated an inquiry will be started. However, the majority of buildings in Karachi and other regions of the nation lack firefighting and fire prevention systems, which frequently causes damage and fatalities. TV footage showed firefighters fighting the flames while wearing protective gear. The building’s storeys, where flames erupted from windows and balconies, were doused by a number of fire vehicles using ladders, water cannons, and hoses. An Associated Press reporter on the scene reported seeing thick black smoke billow into the night sky from several blocks distant.
According to authorities, the fire quickly spread after starting in a section of the mall where retailers had kept plastic household items, apparel, and imported merchandise, which fueled the flames. Such instances are frequent in the southern Sindh province’s capital, Karachi. Ten individuals were killed and twenty-two others were injured when a major retail center caught fire in November 2023.
