K-Electric held responsible for Gulshan building fire incident

KARACHI: Police on Saturday held K-Electric power supplying company responsible for Gulshan-e-Iqbal building fire incident which claimed two lives on March 21, ARY News reported.

Police have lodged a first information report (FIR) into the incident and said the fire erupted in the building because of short circuit in wires.

The FIR has also claimed that construction of the edifice was in violation of the building laws.

“A no objection certificate was issued for construction of the building despite violation of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) laws,” it said.

The FIR wondered that how the SBCA had passed its map and the fire fighting department had given it fire clearance certificate.

It said two precious lives were lost because of lack of basic facilities in the building.

Read More: An emergency exit could save several lives: Gulshan building fire victim’s family

At least two persons had lost their lives and eight others received burns injuries in the blaze at Karachi’s multi-storey building situated in Gulshan-e-Iqbal area on Thursday.

About 50 citizens were trapped and at least eight sustained burn wounds as fire engulfed four to five floors of the building.

A senior police officer had confirmed that two persons lost their lives who jumped off the building in a bid to save their lives. The deceased person was identified as Jahanzaib, the superintendent police (SP) Gulshan had said. He had added that five persons including a woman were wounded in the fire incident.

Police officials had said that the blaze was spread from the 12th floor after an air conditioner’s duct caught fire which caused smoke in the building. The lift of the building had stopped working after the blaze, they had said. They had admitted that fire fighting vehicle and staff had arrived late to the site.

The building had been sealed by the local authorities, police had said.

Executive Director of Jinnah Hospital, Seemi Jamali, had confirmed that the dead body of a 35-year-old man was brought to the hospital. She had said that five persons, who were affected by smoke, have been released after initial medical treatment.