ISLAMABAD: The provincial government of Sindh has ordered an official inquiry after a fire at a major shopping plaza in the port city of Karachi killed 11 people and destroyed more than 1,200 shops, officials said on Monday, dealing a severe blow to one of the city’s busiest commercial districts.
The blaze broke out late Saturday at Gul Plaza in Karachi’s Saddar business area and spread rapidly through multiple floors, according to emergency officials. Firefighters battled flames for hours to bring the fire under control, which was still blazing late into Sunday night.
Deadly fires in commercial buildings are a recurring problem in Karachi, a city of more than 20 million people, where overcrowding, outdated infrastructure and weak enforcement of fire safety regulations have repeatedly resulted in mass casualties and economic losses.
“Karachi fire death toll rises to 11,” said Chief Police Surgeon for Karachi Dr. Summaiya Syed Tariq.
“The fire has been extinguished but light smoke is still rising and the recovery of bodies has now begun,” says Muhamamd Amin, an official of Edhi present on the spot.
