Pakistan: 11 killed as major fire engulfs shopping mall in Karachi

A major fire engulfed a shopping mall in Pakistan's commercial hub Karachi on Saturday, killing at least 11 people and injuring six others.

The fire service said it was alerted about the blaze at around 6.30 am. The fire quickly spread from the second floor to the upper floors.

Twelve fire tenders, a snorkel and around 50 firefighters battled the flames and doused them but not before 11 people died. More than 40 people were rescued from the building.

A police official said the building was a commercial high-rise that housed shopping centres, call centres and software companies.

Chief Fire Officer Mubin Ahmed said most deaths took place due to smoke inhalation and panic after electricity to the building was snapped.

“Our teams are still searching for anyone still in the building but we rescued 42 people, all males,” Ahmed told PTI.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab confirmed nine deaths but police official Summaya Syed said 11 bodies were brought to two hospitals.

Dangerous Karachi

The condition of the six injured was said to be critical.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

The Dawn newspaper quoted city planners and engineers as saying that some 90 per cent of all structures in Karachi — residential, commercial and industrial — did not have fire prevention and firefighting systems.

(With agency inputs)