Three people were killed after a fire broke out in a multi-storey commercial-cum-residential building located near Ayesha Manzil in Karachi’s Federal B Area on Wednesday, according to police and rescue services.
Footage aired on television showed black smoke billowing into the sky as flames engulfed the structure. Firefighters could also be seen attempting to douse the bright orange flames.
The fire had damaged vehicles parked near the building while there was also a traffic jam in the area.
The incident comes just days after 11 people were killed when a huge fire ripped through a six-storey commercial building in the city’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar area.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said that a “third dead body” had been found. He had earlier said that he had been informed of “two casualties”, adding that he was present at the site.
Dr Abid Shaikh, head of Sindh Rescue 1122, also said that three dead bodies had been recovered from the building. He said that the deceased were all male, adding that one other person had been injured.
The rescue official said that the six-storey building comprised two commercial floors (ground and mezzanine floors) while the remaining four were residential.
He said the fire had originated from the commercial floors where shops selling “foam” were mostly located. Shaikh said the fire had not yet been doused, adding that it would take some time to control it.
“The whole building was in the grip of the flames,” he said, adding that the building had a ground floor, a mezzanine floor and four more residential floors.
The spokesperson for K-Electric (KE) said that power was cut off for safety reasons after the utility was informed about the fire. He said the K-E staff was at the scene to provide full support to rescue officials.
Sindh CM orders inquiry
Meanwhile, Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar ordered a probe into the fire.
A statement issued by his spokesperson said that the inquiry committee would be led by the Karachi commissioner.
“The committee will probe the cause of the fire and the negligence of officials,” the spokesperson said.
He that committee report would submits its report and its recommendations to the chief minister within three days.
