KARACHI: As the aftermath of the devastating fire at Gul Plaza continues to shock the city, serious questions are being raised about the building’s safety measures and the emergency response to the incident, which has claimed at least 28 lives, with dozens still missing.
Tanveer Pasta, the president of the Gul Plaza Market Association, revealed that the fire started in an artificial flower shop on the ground floor. He said firefighting efforts were initially made, but he had to contact K-Electric to cut the building’s power to prevent the fire from spreading further. The power was cut within five to seven minutes.
However, the sudden power shutdown plunged the building into complete darkness, causing panic and hampering evacuation efforts, especially due to the narrow stairways linking the mezzanine to the ground floor. Pasta defended the decision to cut the power, saying it was standard procedure to prevent the spread of fire through electrical wiring, which he claimed could have worsened the situation and increased casualties.
Despite this, Pasta admitted that Gul Plaza lacked adequate fire safety and emergency exit lights, which could have helped people evacuate safely and guided rescue teams during the disaster. Instead, he mentioned a small 12-volt emergency light installed in each passage, which only activated in the event of a power outage, but was insufficient for proper evacuation.
Social media videos show trapped individuals struggling to find exits in thick smoke and darkness, fueling further concerns about the plaza’s safety.
Pasta also addressed the claim that the plaza housed 1,200 shops, confirming that the approved plan allowed for 1,071 shops, but some shop owners had subdivided their units, increasing the total number. This raised further questions about the role of both market management and government authorities in overseeing safety regulations.
Journalist Waseem Badami, who reported on the incident, also pointed out the severe congestion in the building and questioned whether the power shutdown exacerbated the panic. Pasta failed to provide a satisfactory explanation in response to this.
Pasta stated that the ground floor and basement were evacuated in 10 to 15 minutes, but around 55 to 60 people remained trapped on the mezzanine floor. He could not explain why so many people were unable to evacuate, only stating that a large number of people were on that floor at the time of the fire.
