Gul Plaza Fire: Witness statement raises questions over shopkeepers’ role

KARACHI: Seventeen days after the deadly Gul Plaza incident in Karachi, investigations remain ongoing as serious allegations have surfaced against shopkeepers of Dubai Crockery, accused of stopping 25 to 30 people from leaving the building during the fire, according to a citizen’s statement recorded by investigators.

Police and other investigative agencies continue to probe the Gul Plaza tragedy, which has now been confirmed to have claimed 79 lives, according to the investigation committee.

Officials said that 68 bodies and remains have been handed over to families so far. However, the remains of five individuals, including a man identified as Khurram, are still at the Edhi morgue, with no relatives coming forward.

Sources added that the remains of more than four victims are yet to be recovered, highlighting gaps in the recovery process.

During the investigation, authorities decided to record the statement of a child from Gul Plaza Shop No. 193 for the third time. Initial findings suggest the fire started after a matchstick was lit inside Shop No. 193.

Investigators also faced difficulties as CCTV footage from the first and second floors of Gul Plaza could not be obtained. The probe further revealed that fire brigade and rescue teams began spraying water immediately instead of focusing on evacuation, raising questions over the rescue response.

Witness statements revealed that around 20 minutes after smoke engulfed the Gul Plaza building, shopkeepers broke open a grill, allowing many people to escape. However, approximately 25 to 30 people remained trapped inside the Dubai Crockery shop.

According to citizens’ accounts, Dubai Crockery shopkeepers allegedly prevented people from exiting. Meanwhile, one shopkeeper claimed he guided nearly 150 people toward an exit and told customers the fire would extinguish on its own.

Authorities say the investigation into the Gul Plaza tragedy is ongoing and responsibility will be fixed after reviewing all evidence and statements.