KARACHI: A huge fire that erupted in a superstore in Clifton’s Zamzama area in the early hours of Monday was brought under control after hours-long efforts by rescue officials.
The fire broke out in Imtiaz Superstore’s Zamzama branch. The locality is a high-end shopping area, and the store is frequented by thousands daily.
Clifton Station House Officer (SHO) Naseer Tanoli told Dawn that the fire had been controlled and the cooling process had begun.
He said that police had obtained CCTV footage which showed that the fire erupted in an ATM located on the premises. He said that staff initially tried to control the blaze, before informing police and the fire brigade.
Tanoli said that the store’s fiber walls and the presence of clothing items contributed to the fire’s intensity and spread. He said a significant quantity of goods had been saved and seven cars parked in the basement also remained safe.
Speaking to the media at the scene in the evening, Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab also said that the fire had been controlled and cooling work had started.
He said around 25 people were rescued safely and the store’s solar panels and other goods remained safe. He said rescue workers broke through walls to disperse the smoke.
He said that a fire safety assessment of the building was conducted. During the initial probe, it emerged that the fire erupted at the ATM and the structure’s false ceiling compounded the fire.
Meanwhile, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan said that the fire safety system installed in the building was “not active”.
He said that the false ceiling created problems for firefighters, who broke through the walls to disperse the smoke.
Separately, Rescue 1122 spokesperson, Hassaanul Haseeb Khan, told Dawn that the command and control room received information about the fire at around 5:38am, which was traced to an ATM triggered by a suspected short circuit.
It later spread to the superstore’s basement, where inflammable material such as cooking oil, cosmetics and plastic were stored, he said. Khan added that the fire then spread to the mezzanine floor and then to the first and second floors of the store.
Stating that cooling work was underway, the rescue official said that patches of flames still existed in parts of the building, which were under control.
He said that only the roof, where solar panels had been installed, remained safe in the incident. However, Khan stated that almost all the goods stored had been destroyed.
Earlier in the day, Karachi Traffic Police had issued a traffic advisory, saying fire brigade vehicles were on site. “No traffic issues have been reported, but the public is advised to drive safely,” the advisory added.
Further, Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Rehabilitation Gian Chand Essrani had taken notice of the fire incident. He had said that a transparent investigation into the incident would be carried out once the fire is brought under control.
Earlier on Sunday, a fire broke out in a parked container-mounted trailer in the Federal B Area, Karachi.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan said the blaze erupted in the front portion of the trailer, which was badly damaged, and was extinguished by firefighters.
