KARACHI – The death toll resulting from the building fire that occurred in Karachi’s Federal B Area on Wednesday has risen to five. The fire was extinguished, and the cooling process for the building was completed.
The fire broke out in the six-storey Arshi Shopping Centre, located on Shahrah-e-Pakistan near Ayesha Manzil in District Central’s Federal B Area. The incident occurred while residents were present inside the building.
Eyewitnesses stated that the fire initially started in one of the shops due to welding work on the ground floor. However, it quickly spread to other shops in the furniture market located beneath the building.
This particular furniture market encompasses over 250 shops on the ground floor, along with furniture, mattresses, and petroleum products stored on the mezzanine floor. Additionally, the building contains 450 residential flats across the upper four floors.
Concerns arose regarding the building’s structural integrity due to the fire, heightening fears of a potential collapse. However, the swift response from the Fire Department facilitated the complete evacuation of the building within two hours after the incident was reported.
Unfortunately, the death toll has risen to five, with another body discovered by rescue personnel within the fire-affected building. The individual succumbed to suffocation and burns.
Rescue operations, which extended late into the night, have concluded. Officials reported severe damage to the ground floor and mezzanine floor of the apartment building due to the fire.
The firefighting teams from various entities, including the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC), Fire Brigade, and Pakistan Navy, were actively engaged in the rescue operation to contain the flames.
