The Gul Plaza fire judicial commission, headed by Sindh High Court’s Justice Agha Faisal, recorded statements of fire brigade, rescue agencies, and administration officials.
Officials including the Fire Officer, D.G. Rescue 1122, and local administration representatives provided their statements during Wednesday’s hearing. The commission aimed to investigate the cause, spread, and response to the fire.
D.G. Rescue 1122 said the situation would have been better if his agency had been informed earlier. When asked whether anyone was rescued upon arrival, he explained the ground floor was completely engulfed in flames and the gates were closed.
President of the Gul Plaza Market Association, Tanveer Pasta, also recorded statements. He said none of the 16 gates of the shopping mall was closed. The commission questioned him about standard operating procedures for emergencies. He stated the market had 65 fire balls and fire extinguishers, and they tried their best during the blaze.
The Chief Fire Officer was asked about the cause of the fire and reasons behind its rapid spread. In his statements, he mentioned that power outages worsened the situation.
Relatives of the deceased raised concerns about the rescue efforts. They claimed that lives could have been saved if machinery from the Green Line project was used. They noted delays in fire tanker arrival and a shortage of water, stating heavy smoke trapped people inside. Families also said requests to break windows for trapped victims were ignored.
The massive fire broke out on the night of Saturday, January 17, at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road, engulfing the commercial building. It took over 32 hours to bring under control, leaving dozens dead and highlighting gaps in emergency response.
The Sindh government had earlier notified the constitution of an inquiry commission to investigate the incident. The judicial commission has adjourned further hearings until Thursday at 10:30 AM. Statements from officials and witnesses will continue to form a key part of the probe.
Officials and families alike hope the commission’s investigation will identify lapses and improve future emergency responses.
In other news read more about: Families Question Rescue Efforts After Gul Plaza Fire, Judicial Probe Underway
