Third-degree fire engulfs shops and warehouses on MA Jinnah Road, rescue underway
Karachi: A massive fire broke out at Gul Plaza, a shopping complex located on MA Jinnah Road, late Saturday night, leaving three people dead and at least 15 injured, while several others were reported trapped inside the building.
According to rescue officials, the victims died due to suffocation caused by smoke, and several injured individuals remain in critical condition. All casualties were shifted to Civil Hospital Karachi for medical treatment.
The Chief Fire Officer confirmed that the blaze was declared a third-degree fire, with all shops and warehouses on the ground floor completely engulfed. Firefighting teams from across the city were dispatched, while trapped individuals were rescued using snorkel lifts.
Authorities said the fire spread up to the third floor, and the plaza also includes a basement market, complicating rescue efforts. Rescue 1122 deployed fire and medical teams immediately after receiving the emergency call.
The Karachi Water Corporation imposed an emergency at NIPA and Safoora hydrants, ensuring uninterrupted water supply through tankers on the directives of CEO Ahmed Ali Siddiqui. Senior officials monitored operations on-site.
Meanwhile, Sindh Interior Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar directed authorities to accelerate rescue operations, secure the building, divert traffic through alternative routes, and conduct a full investigation into the cause of the fire.
