Karachi: The death toll from the tragic fire at the Arshi shopping mall and residential flats in Karachi, Pakistan, has risen to five. The fire broke out on Wednesday evening, engulfing the six-story building and trapping several people inside.
Rescue workers battled the blaze for hours, ultimately managing to evacuate over 300 individuals. Unfortunately, five people lost their lives in the fire, while two others sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment.
The fire is believed to have originated in a foam shop on the ground floor and rapidly spread to neighboring stores due to the highly flammable nature of the materials. The blaze caused extensive damage to the building, with approximately 100 shops and residential flats severely impacted.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire and have not yet released any official conclusions. However, preliminary reports suggest that electrical short-circuiting or negligence in handling flammable materials may have contributed to the disaster.
The Arshi shopping mall fire is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of buildings in Pakistan to such calamities. Lack of proper fire safety regulations and inadequate infrastructure often exacerbate the damage and casualties in such incidents.
Following the incident, authorities have ordered an immediate inspection of all commercial buildings in Karachi to ensure compliance with fire safety codes. Additionally, they have announced plans to improve emergency response capabilities and provide training to firefighters to help them handle similar situations more effectively.
The tragedy has sparked widespread grief and anger in Pakistan. Many have criticized the government for failing to implement stricter fire safety measures and for not taking sufficient action to prevent such incidents.
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