Gulf Plaza tragedy: The shop where the deadly fire started

Fire brigade authorities have shared details regarding the fire that broke out at Gulf Plaza, located on Karachi’s busiest artery, M.A. Jinnah Road.

According to officials, the fire started in a shop selling artificial plants and flowers on Saturday night at 10:14 PM. Rescue 1122 was notified of the incident at 10:38 PM, and two fire tenders arrived at the scene by 10:57 PM.

Officials highlighted several obstacles that hindered the rescue operation.

Why is the Gul Plaza fire so difficult to control?

Gulf Plaza has approximately 14 to 16 entry and exit points, but their narrowness made it difficult for firefighters to operate.

All entrances and exits were filled with thick smoke, complicating entry into the building.

A water shortage occurred 2 to 3 hours into the operation. Tankers dispatched to the site got stuck in traffic due to ongoing construction work near Guru Mandir.

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The lack of crowd and traffic management prevented the water shortage from being addressed promptly.

The Chief Fire Officer stated that 90% of the fire has been extinguished, and foam was utilized from the very first day to control the blaze.

Portions of the building have collapsed in three different locations, and the overall structure is now considered dilapidated and dangerous.

While the fire in all ground-floor shops was put out late last night, about 10% of the blaze persists within the goods stored inside the building. Cooling operations are currently underway.