Gul Plaza fire timeline prepared as officials confirm most exits were closed

KARACHI: Shocking revelations have emerged in the Gul Plaza fire tragedy, as officials prepared a timeline of the incident and revealed that most of the building’s exits were closed when the fire broke out.

According to official sources, Gul Plaza had a total of 16 exits; however, only two were open when the fire erupted, severely hindering evacuation efforts and leaving people trapped inside.

A massive fire engulfed Gul Plaza, located on M.A. Jinnah Road, late Saturday night, January 17, leaving the city in shock. At least 63 people have lost their lives, while dozens were initially reported missing. Although the fire has now been brought under control, the building remains structurally unsafe.

Authorities have prepared a detailed timeline of the incident as part of ongoing investigations to determine the cause and spread of the fire. The timeline was developed with the help of CCTV footage from surrounding areas.

10:07 pm: Fire broke out

10:08 pm: Smoke visible

10:12: Ambulances arrive

After 11 minutes

10:18: Fire reached to front side

10:18: Fire brigade arrived

According to the CCTV footage, the fire first broke out at the backside of the plaza at 10:07 pm. Smoke became visible by 10:08 pm, while flames were seen by 10:12 pm, at which point ambulances began arriving at the scene.

Officials said it took 11 minutes for the fire to spread from the back of the building to the front. Flames were observed on the M.A. Jinnah Road side of the plaza at 10:18 pm, shortly followed by the arrival of fire brigade vehicles.

Sources further revealed that during the fire, trapped individuals attempted to escape through the limited open exits. In one instance, people broke down a door in an effort to flee the burning building.

Meanwhile, the Bomb Disposal Squad collected samples from two different locations. Three samples were taken from an artificial flower shop, while three others were collected from separate areas. Authorities have also decided to conduct chemical analysis of the recovered bodies.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing at Gul Plaza. An additional 30 bodies were recovered from the mezzanine floor on Wednesday, bringing the total death toll to 63.

All 30 bodies were found inside a crockery shop, where victims had locked themselves in an attempt to save their lives. The victims’ last mobile phone locations were also traced to the same spot.

Investigations into the incident are continuing.