Karachi mall fire forces mass evacuation as six workers suffer smoke inhalation

KARACHI: Hundreds of people were moved to safety after a fire broke out in the cold storage area of a department store on the ground floor of LuckyOne Mall on Rashid Minhas Road in the Federal B Area on Sunday afternoon, according to officials.

Videos circulating on social media showed smoke spreading through the premises as people hurried out of the shopping centre. Rescue-1122 spokesperson Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan said the service received information about the blaze at Carrefour in the mall at around 12 noon, after which fire tenders were dispatched without delay.

Khan said the mall administration had an operational ventilation system and adequate fire safety arrangements, which were activated during the incident. Officials said a large number of shoppers, along with people present in the food court, were evacuated safely.

Two fire tenders brought the blaze under control after around three hours of intensive efforts, Khan said. Six Carrefour employees were affected by smoke inhalation. Four were given first aid at the site by rescue personnel, while two were taken to a nearby private hospital for treatment.

Officials said the mall remained closed until 6pm and resumed operations later in the evening. They added that a short circuit appeared to be the likely cause of the fire, although an investigation was still in progress.

An exact assessment of the financial losses could not be determined until late Sunday night, officials said.