KARACHI: Investigators probing the deadly Gul Plaza fire in Karachi say the blaze originated inside a shop and was not caused by a short circuit, according to preliminary findings of the inquiry.
The death toll from a mall fire in Pakistan’s biggest city rose to at least 60 people on Thursday, with rescuers still searching for more missing in the devastating inferno.
Investigative sources said the fire broke out at a shop selling artificial flowers, where children present were reportedly playing at the time of the incident.
“Investigators believe the children were possibly playing with matches or a lighter inside the shop,” sources said, adding that the fire first caught the stored items before spreading to the electrical wiring.
According to the investigation, the fire was not triggered by an electrical fault. As flames spread, people inside the building rushed towards exit points, but panic ensued when several doors were found closed.
The sources further said most shops in the building were open at the time, while a grill installed along the rooftop exit route also hindered evacuation efforts.
The fire severely damaged the building’s CCTV system, rendering it completely non-functional. Investigators have recorded statements from eyewitnesses and affected individuals as part of the ongoing probe.
Families have criticised the slow pace of the recovery operation, with more than 50 giving DNA samples in the hope of finding their missing relatives.
The provincial government has announced that it will give Rs10 million rupees to each family of the deceased. All 1,200 shopkeepers will also be compensated.
Meanwhile, as per the timeline of the incident established via CCTV footage, the sources have said that the fire broke out at 10:07pm on Saturday (January 17) at the back side of the building.
Ambulances began arriving at the scene at around 10:12pm.
The flames became visible on the MA Jinnah Road side — the front side of the plaza — at 10:18pm. It took approximately 11 minutes for the fire to spread from the back of the plaza to its front, the sources added, citing the officials.
