KARACHI: A massive fire ripped through Millennium Mall on Rashid Minhas Road early Wednesday, gutting at least 250 shops and causing financial losses worth millions of rupees, according to ARY News.
Rescue teams struggled for hours before they managed to bring the fire under control. Preliminary investigations suggest negligence by the mall’s management, with the fire reportedly starting due to a short circuit in the Control and Surveillance Room on the third floor.
Hassan, in-charge of Rescue 1122, confirmed that the first alert came at 4:06 AM. He said the mall’s firefighting system was non-functional, with no proper fire exits and only one entry/exit point, making rescue efforts extremely difficult.
Flammable chemicals stored on upper floors and poorly maintained boilers and chillers further worsened the blaze, he added.
Authorities are continuing their investigation, while affected shopkeepers face devastating losses.
