The judicial commission constituted to investigate the Gul Plaza fire tragedy visited the ill-fated gutted building and recorded its observations during the visit.
A single-member commission of inquiry, headed by Justice Agha Faisal, was briefed by the deputy commissioner of South, rescue officials about the fire incident. The commission inquired the officials about the place where the fire broke out and the place where a large number of remains were found.
The officials said that the building has been damaged, the stairs have collapsed, and access to the upper floors is not possible.
The commission inquired about the places from where the people of Gul Plaza were evacuated and asked authorities as how many gates of the plaza were open when the fire broke out.
Officials said two to three gates were open when the fire broke out while there were a total of 16 gates at Gul Plaza. The commission after the visit issued notices to the president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the general manager of the Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company of Greenline project and the general manager of the Sui Southern Gas Company to appear before it on February 18.
It had also summoned the deputy commissioner of South, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s director land, chief fire officer, director general of the Sindh Building Control Authority, the president of the Gul Plaza association, the chief executive officer of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation, KE, DIG Traffic, director general Rescue 1122, medico-legal officer of the Civil Hospital and the SSP City Karachi to appear in person for recording their statements, production of record and consideration of evidence pertinent to the inquiry.
The commission was notified by the home department on February 10 to probe the fire incident, which left 79 people dead last month.
