The President of the Gul Plaza Association has formally submitted a detailed response to the judicial commission investigating the devastating fire that erupted in the shopping complex last January. This tragic incident resulted in the loss of 72 lives, shaking Karachi and raising serious questions about the preparedness and effectiveness of emergency services. Tanveer Pasta, the association’s president, expressed deep concern over what he described as a sluggish and inadequate rescue operation that significantly contributed to the high death toll.
Pasta, the rescue teams arrived without the necessary equipment, including essential safety gear such as masks and specialized firefighting tools. He emphasized that had the rescue agencies been properly equipped, a greater number of lives might have been saved during the inferno. The firefighters faced immense difficulties entering the premises to reach those trapped inside, which further delayed critical rescue efforts. He pointed out that the first fire engine only reached the scene at 10:55 PM, with two additional units arriving five minutes later, by which time the fire had already engulfed the ground floor.
Adding to the challenges, the firefighting teams lacked foam and chemical agents that are crucial for controlling such intense blazes, especially in commercial areas filled with flammable materials. In the absence of adequate official support, the market management took the initiative to arrange private water tankers to assist in dousing the flames. However, water tankers from the city’s water corporation only became available after dawn, by which time the fire had intensified significantly, complicating containment efforts.
During the chaos, some individuals trapped inside the building were rescued through self-help efforts after their locations were communicated to those outside. The power outage caused by the fire further hampered emergency announcements, forcing the market management and shopkeepers to manually urge people to evacuate. At the time of the fire, approximately 3,500 people were inside Gul Plaza, and the majority were successfully evacuated through all 16 available exits. Pasta noted that although one shutter on the second floor was found closed during inspections, it was not locked and likely shut due to a spring malfunction caused by the fire’s intensity.
The market itself housed numerous combustible items, including artificial flowers, toys, garments, and spray cans, which contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. Additionally, seven diesel generators were installed on the rooftop, five of which were operational during the incident, potentially exacerbating the situation. Out of the 72 fatalities, 51 were individuals associated with the market, highlighting the severe impact on the local business community.
Meanwhile, the judicial commission has noted significant gaps in the documentation provided by the Gul Plaza Association. No records detailing the ownership or legal status of individual shops were submitted, nor were there any documents clarifying the legal framework governing maintenance and recovery operations within the market. The commission also pointed out the absence of bylaws for the unregistered association, which raises questions about the regulatory oversight of the commercial complex.
The fire broke out late on the night of January 17 on M.A. Jinnah Road, rapidly consuming the multi-story building and trapping numerous people inside. The blaze raged uncontrollably for over 32 hours before firefighters managed to bring it under control. This prolonged struggle exposed critical weaknesses in Karachi’s emergency response infrastructure, prompting calls for urgent reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
