Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) ordered a comprehensive fire safety audit, and the audit, conducted by Fire Department officials, has declared 29 buildings on I.I. Chundrigar Road as ‘unsafe.’
Following a deadly fire on Rashid Minhas Road that resulted in 11 fatalities, the KMC decision comes in the wake of frequent fire incidents in Karachi, including a recent tragedy on Shahrah-i-Pakistan near Ayesha Manzil.
The audit encompassed 45 buildings on I.I. Chundrigar Road, a hub where over 34,000 citizens work daily. The report startlingly revealed that 77% of these buildings lack essential firefighting equipment and trained staff, with none possessing expert firefighters.
Furthermore, it was found that most of these structures do not have a fire safety certification, and only 16 buildings are equipped with a water connection for firefighting purposes.
Two recent fire incidents in Karachi prompted the audit. The first, a blaze in a six-story building on Rashid Minhas Road, led to 11 deaths. Shortly after, another fire in a commercial and residential building on Shahrah-i-Pakistan near Ayesha Manzil claimed three lives.
Despite the efforts of 12 fire engines, two snorkels, and two bowsers, the fire took several hours to control. Witnesses reported that the fire began in a mattress shop and was exacerbated by the explosion of compressors in refrigerators and air conditioners. These incidents have raised significant concerns about fire safety standards in the city’s buildings.
