A devastating fire ripped through Karachi’s Millennium Mall on Rashid Minhas Road early Wednesday, destroying at least 250 shops and causing financial losses estimated in the millions of rupees.
Rescue teams battled the flames for several hours before finally bringing the fire under control. The blaze, which originated in the mall’s ‘Control and Surveillance Room’ on the third floor, was reportedly caused by a short circuit, according to initial rescue reports.
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Hassan, a rescue official, stated that the fire was intensified by a lack of basic safety infrastructure. “The firefighting system was inactive, there was no proper fire exit, and the building had only one entry and exit route,” he noted, adding that this significantly delayed rescue efforts.
Further investigation revealed that the upper floors housed unsafe boilers, chillers, and chemical storage—factors that contributed to the rapid spread of the flames. Authorities have pointed to negligence by the mall’s management as a major contributing factor to the disaster.
