Gul Plaza fire triggered by a child, inquiry report reveals

KARACHI: The devastating fire at Gul Plaza, one of Karachi’s worst fire tragedies, was accidentally ignited by a child, according to a final inquiry report prepared by the high-level committee.

The fire broke out at the Gul Plaza shopping centre on the night of January 17 and resulted in massive loss of life and property.

According to the inquiry report, at least 79 people lost their lives, with most of the fatalities occurring on the mezzanine floor.

Grieving families were seen collecting the remains of their loved ones in shopping bags in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The report was prepared by a committee comprising the Karachi Commissioner and the Karachi police chief, Additional Inspector General (AIG) Azad Khan.

It includes detailed findings on the cause of the fire, firefighting efforts, rescue operations, and information gathered from victims, eyewitnesses, and rescue officials.

According to the report, the fire broke out at a flower shop located on the ground floor, where a child accidentally caused the blaze. The fire spread rapidly through air-conditioning ducts, engulfing upper floors within minutes.

The report states that the fire erupted at approximately 10:15 pm, while the fire brigade was informed at 10:26 pm. The first fire tender reached the site within 11 minutes, at 10:37 pm. The Deputy Commissioner South arrived at 10:30 pm, while Rescue 1122 teams reached the scene at 10:53 pm.

Sources said the final inquiry report will be formally presented to Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah by the Karachi Commissioner. The findings highlight serious safety lapses and underscore the need for stricter enforcement of fire safety regulations in commercial buildings.

The search operation has been completed and the building has now been sealed.

The last recovered body was confirmed through DNA testing; however, the victim’s identity could not be established.

The report stated that 80 citizens had reported missing relatives following the incident. Of these, DNA samples were collected from 69 families, while the heirs of 13 victims have yet to provide samples.