Gul Plaza fire probe: Rescue, other officials recorded their statements

KARACHI: In a hearing of Gul Plaza fire judicial commission headed by Sindh High Court’s Justice Agha Faisal, fire brigade, rescue agencies and administration officials recorded their statements.

The Fire Officer, D.G. Rescue 1122 and the local administration officials recorded their statements to the judicial commission.

D.G. Rescue 1122 said that the situation would have been different if his agency was informed early. “Did you rescue someone when you people reached to the spot of the fire,” Justice Agha Faisal asked. D.G. Rescue replied that the ground floor was completely under the fire, while the ground floor’s gates were closed.

President Gul Plaza market association Tanveer Pasta said that none of the 16 gates of the shopping mall was closed. “Did your union have any SOPs for such emergency,” judicial commission questioned. “We had 65 fire balls and fire extinguishers. We tried utmost after the fire,” he said.

“What do you think how the fire erupted, what was the cause of the fire and what was the reason behind its spread and deaths of people,” Justice Faisal asked the fire officer. “The situation would have better if the light was not off,” Chief Fire Officer replied.

The commission adjourned further hearing of the probe until Thursday’s (tomorrow) 10:30 AM.

The relatives of the Gul Plaza fire deceased on Monday questioned the rescue effort during the deadly inferno that thoroughly destroyed the shopping mall building with dozens of deaths.

The family members of deceased said that the lives can be saved if the heavy machinery of Green Line project was used. “Fire Brigade and rescue teams were present at the site but there was water shortage. “The fire tanker reached after two hours the building was filled with smoke”.

“The lights of mobile phones and trapped persons were being seen from windows. The administration was requested to break windows but they didn’t heed,” relatives of deceased said.

On the night of Saturday, January 17, a massive fire broke out at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road, engulfing the commercial building and trapping dozens inside. The blaze raged for over 32 hours before being brought under control, exposing weaknesses in the city’s emergency response system.

The Sindh government notified constitution of an inquiry commission for probe into the deadly fire.