A case has been registered in the aftermath of a devastating fire that broke out at RJ Shopping Mall on Rashid Minhas Road claiming 11 lives early Saturday morning.
The First Information Report (FIR) filed at Shah Faisal Police Station pointed fingers at various entities involved in the construction and maintenance of the ill-fated shopping mall.
Meanwhile, the report also revealed that the fire erupted at 5 am, rapidly engulfing the entire mall. Panicked individuals trapped within the building were compelled to use stairs and an electric lift in desperate attempts to escape the inferno.
Tragically, some patrons sustained burn injuries, with several succumbing to the severity of their wounds during treatment at different hospitals.
An alarming revelation from the FIR is the apparent absence of firefighting equipment within the mall premises, exacerbating the challenges faced by emergency responders. Initial investigations strongly suggest that a short circuit might have been the catalyst for the devastating fire.
The defendants include the mall builders, accused of utilizing defective materials, the alleged approval of flawed maps, issuance of NOC despite safety concerns, and the current management of the shopping complex.
Additionally, the electric and fire brigade services are under scrutiny for their purported failure to fulfill their responsibilities.
The ongoing examination aims to determine how the mall's construction plans were approved, the process behind granting firefighting clearances, and potential collusion involving Karachi Electric (KE) and other relevant agencies.
Investigators will also probe potential violations of building regulations, the use of substandard materials, and overall negligence that contributed to the loss of lives.
