KARACHI: The days after a devastating fire at Gul Plaza, a new phase of rescue and clearance operations has begun, revealing developments that have raised further questions about the incident and its aftermath.
The additional heavy machinery has been deployed at the site to accelerate the clearance work. In this sense, the municipal authorities confirmed that cranes are now being used to carefully remove vehicles that were parked on the rooftop of the commercial building at the time of the fire.
The total of 10 vehicles and one rickshaw have so far been safely brought down from the rooftop.
The vehicles recovered were handed back to their respective owners in intact condition. In this sense, the government officials said that the owners themselves drove the vehicles away to safer locations, offering a rare moment of relief amid an otherwise troubling situation.
Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab is personally overseeing the rescue and clearance efforts. He said that all necessary safety measures were being strictly observed and that the pace of the operation had been increased.
The mayor also focused on that once the clearance operation is completed, a detailed inspection and further investigation will be carried out to determine key aspects related to the fire. However, officials have not yet disclosed what those findings may include.
He added that heavy machinery and relevant staff would remain on-site until the rooftop is completely cleared.
Meanwhile, new concerns have emerged from within the affected building. The local trader identified as Aamir, who owns three showrooms in Gul Plaza, told reporters that all three of his businesses were completely destroyed in the fire.
He said it was unexpected to find two of his vehicles still intact, despite the scale of destruction. The trader claimed that two individuals who worked at his shop are still missing.
The clearance work continues and unanswered questions remain, attention is now focused on what the next stage of investigation may uncover and whether the full story of Gul Plaza has yet come to light.
