Locked Exits, Panic, and Desperate Calls for Help: Survivors Share Their Experiences from the Mall Fire
Dozens remain missing after a catastrophic fire engulfed Gul Plaza on Saturday evening, leaving locals and families distraught.
Muhammed Amin is overwhelmed with anguish. His brother, Naveed Memon, was inside the bustling Gul Plaza when the blaze broke out in Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial heart. Despite hopes, Naveed has yet to be found.
What should I tell my mother when I go home? How do I explain to my nieces that their father is missing? Amin laments. His nieces, filled with worry, repeatedly ask about their father’s delayed return.
Inside Gul Plaza: A Busy Marketplace
Gul Plaza housed around 1,200 shops across five levels, including a basement and mezzanine. Known for its affordable offerings—wedding attire, toys, home decor, bed linens, artificial flowers, and baby clothing—it was a popular shopping destination, especially during festive seasons.
– Fire Origin Unknown: The cause of the fire remains unclear, but eyewitnesses noted its rapid spread, fueled by locked exits and the tightly packed crowd within.
Rehan Faisal, who owned a bedsheet shop, escaped due to his store’s proximity to an exit. He managed to break down a door as chaos unfolded. Initially, we weren’t concerned; the fire seemed distant. But within ‘five to seven minutes,’ everything was ablaze, he shared.
Shoaib, a 19-year-old employed at a decorations shop, first caught wind of the fire around 10:00 PM local time. “As customers streamed in, warning us, I started to understand the severity. My employer ordered us to lock up and flee,” he recounted. Smoke engulfed everything; I couldn’t see or hear. I attempted to escape through an exit, but it was locked, and the crowd was overwhelming.
The Tragic Toll
Most exits of the shopping center were reportedly locked as closing time approached. Syed Asad Raza, a senior police figure, confirmed that only three of the 16 exits were accessible.
– Confirmed Death Toll: The tragedy has resulted in 27 confirmed deaths, with over 70 individuals still unaccounted for.
Dr. Abid Jalaluddin Sheikh, a senior rescue official, expressed concerns regarding the building’s structural integrity, complicating rescue operations. “Many bodies are unidentifiable, necessitating forensic examinations for accurate counts,” he explained.
Family members, desperate for news of their loved ones, have gathered near the site in anguish. Muhammad Qaiser shared his worry, stating that his wife, sister, and daughter-in-law had gone shopping, with their last communication occurring at 8:00 PM just as the fire began.
Another local, Haroon, recounted his brother’s desperate plea for help from within the plaza. “He called our parents, crying for rescue, but no one could reach him,” he reported.
Calls for Accountability
With the search ongoing, frustration among the public is rising. On Monday, hundreds protested at the site, demanding accountability for the tragedy. Karachi’s Mayor, Murtaza Wahab, faced public outrage upon his arrival nearly 24 hours later.
Muhammed Arif, whose nephew remains missing, criticized the delayed response. “Had relief efforts commenced sooner, lives could have been saved,” he argued. Faisal echoed this sentiment, noting how long it took for firefighters to arrive while ambulances awaited.
According to reports, the first emergency call was made at 10:38 PM, but by the time help arrived, the flames had ravaged the upper levels of the plaza.
Sindh’s Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah vowed to investigate the incident and the inefficiencies in response time. Lawmakers across the political spectrum have demanded reforms in building safety standards and emergency protocols.
A Call for Change
“This is the third major fire in Karachi’s Saddar area in recent memory, noted Muhammed Arif. “How many more lives must be lost before we address these issues comprehensively?”
As families cling to hope and search for their loved ones, the echoes of the devastating fire at Gul Plaza serve as a sobering reminder of the urgent need for change in safety regulations and emergency response strategies within urban environments.