A horrific fire broke out last night at Millennium Mall, one of the busiest commercial centers in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Karachi. The incident occurred during the night between Tuesday and Wednesday and engulfed the building within moments. Footage of the fire has also emerged.
According to rescue sources, the fire started in the control room located on the third floor of the mall, where flames erupted due to a short circuit in the electrical system.
Strong winds, a faulty fire system, and electric chillers on the roof further escalated the situation. Within moments, the flames spread from the roof to the other floors.
According to a spokesperson of Rescue 1122, 12 fire brigade vehicles and 2 snorkels reached the scene immediately, but the failure of the fire system and delays from the city’s water corporation severely hampered the rescue operations. Due to the unavailability of water for several hours, complete control over the fire proved difficult.
The biggest challenge for firefighters was the toxic smoke filling the building, which made access difficult. Officials said that the fire alarm and sprinkler systems were not functional, due to which the fire got out of control in its initial stage.
So far, there are no reports of any casualties. However, several corporate offices located on the mall’s third floor have been completely burned down. Valuable goods from many shops have been reduced to ashes.
Fire brigade officials stated that the situation is partially under control, but due to the building’s weakened structure and unsafe electrical systems, full control may take more time.
Investigations have been launched to determine the cause of the incident, and questions are being raised over the lack of implementation of fire safety regulations. Citizens are attributing this unfortunate incident to negligence in safety measures.
