Pakistan: 10 Killed, 22 Injured in Karachi Mall Fire

A tragic fire broke out at RJ Mall on Rashid Minhas Road in Karachi, killing ten people and injuring 22 others. The casualties were confirmed by Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab, who also stated that the fire had been extinguished and that the cooling process was underway.

Police surgeon Summaiya Syed reported that nine bodies were brought to hospitals, with eight at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and one at Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK). An additional casualty was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, and an 18-year-old is currently admitted at CHK.

District East Deputy Commissioner (DC) Altaf Shaikh, overseeing the rescue operation, mentioned that 30 individuals, including the injured, had been rescued. The building, described as a commercial high-rise housing shopping centres, call centres, and software houses, was cleared up to the fourth floor, with clearance of the fifth floor in progress.

According to a Fire and Rescue spokesperson, they were notified of the incident at 6:30 a.m. and dispatched eight fire tenders, two snorkels, and two bowsers. After the rescue operation is completed, a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the exact cause of the fire.

Sindh Inspector General (IG) Riffat Mukhtar directed the rescue operation and ordered that the road be cleared to allow fire departments easy access. Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (rtd) Maqbool Baqar expressed his condolences for the loss of life and directed that the injured receive immediate medical attention.

Mayor Wahab expressed his condolences, emphasizing the building’s lack of an emergency exit and promising a “complete investigation.” Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori requested the city commissioner’s report on the incident.

Earlier this week, city planners and engineers called the lack of fire prevention and suppression systems in approximately 90% of Karachi structures “criminal negligence” on the part of regulatory bodies such as the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), emphasizing the risk to millions of lives in the metropolis.