Deputy Commissioner South Amir Fazal Owaisi says the fire likely started by drug-addicted individuals
KARACHI:
A fire erupted once again in the basement of Gul Plaza on Sunday, nearly two months after a deadly blaze at the same site killed more than 70 people.
Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad said that four fire tenders and a bowser from the Karachi Fire Brigade were dispatched to the scene, with additional vehicles sent to assist in controlling the blaze.
He added that efforts to extinguish the fire were ongoing and assured that full control would be restored soon, noting that all relevant authorities, including rescue and relief teams, had been directed to reach the site immediately.
Read More: Fire safety orders ignored despite Gul Plaza tragedy
Acting Deputy Commissioner South, Amir Fazal Owaisi, said that about 70 per cent of the fire at Gul Plaza had been brought under control. He added that the blaze was likely caused by drug-addicted individuals and that further investigations were underway.
Owaisi said that when police and fire teams reached the site, they found several such individuals inside the building, who had reportedly entered to steal wires and other materials.
A Rescue 1122 Sindh spokesperson confirmed that a specialised response team was on-site, working to determine the fire’s origin in the basement, adding that the exact cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
The Gul Plaza Management Committee President, Tanveer Pasta, clarified that the fire was not part of any conspiracy. He added that the blaze may have started due to the burning of copper by the drug-addicted individuals.
Pasta said that police had arrested three suspects from the building.
Read More: Gul Plaza fire causes Rs100 billion in losses, 1,000 shops destroyed
In mid-January, a devastating fire broke out at Gul Plaza, Karachi, claiming 79 lives and leaving dozens missing. According to the Sindh government’s investigation report, the inferno was triggered by a matchstick at a shop selling artificial flowers.
The report also highlighted severe lapses by the mall administration and rescue services, showing that the tragedy resulted not from a single mistake, but from years of neglect, regulatory failures, and unsafe compromises.
