KARACHI: Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister, Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar, has taken notice of the lack of safety and security arrangements at commercial and government offices in the wake of recent fire incidents.
The interim CM expressed concern over such incidents causing loss of lives and damage to properties and attributed them to the government’s neglect of the inspection system.
The decision follows a massive fire at a shopping center on Karachi’s Rashid Minhas Road, resulting in 11 deaths and 22 injuries. While the fire has been extinguished, the CM emphasized the need for a comprehensive inspection system.
Justice Baqar outlined plans for a systematic inspection regime covering all installations, offices, commercial buildings, and public spaces. He directed the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Civil Defence, and relevant authorities to conduct safety audits of public and commercial buildings, educational institutions, and government offices. The findings and recommendations are expected to be submitted in a report.
Highlighting the absence of fire extinguishers in many commercial and government buildings, the CM stressed the importance of installing such systems to ensure prompt response during fire emergencies. Additionally, he instructed the Karachi commissioner to investigate the recent fire incident in a shopping mall near Dalmia, aiming to determine responsibility and take necessary action.
11 Die As Fire Engulfs Shopping Mall On Karachi’s Rashid Minhas Road
Earlier, a heavy fire broke out in a multi-story shopping mall on Rashid Minhas Road in Karachi, resulting in at least 11 fatalities, as confirmed by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab via his social media account.
The blaze has been extinguished, and rescue operations, involving two snorkels, eight fire tenders, and a bowser, successfully rescued nearly 50 people trapped within the RJ shopping mall.
During the rescue efforts, volunteers from various rescue agencies became embroiled in a dispute over the destination for transporting the injured, jeopardizing the lives of those in critical condition.
Volunteers affiliated with Chhipa reported that they were in the process of transporting a victim on their stretcher when volunteers from Rescue 1122 insisted that the individual required oxygen. Allegedly, the Chhipa ambulance did not have access to oxygen.
Ultimately, the injured firefighter was taken to the hospital against his wishes and placed in an ambulance lacking oxygen. The volunteer expressed concern, contending that forcing a person into an ambulance without oxygen is not providing assistance but rather endangering their life.
