LAHORE MIRROR — A devastating fire broke out at the Gulf Centre Shopping Plaza in Rawalpindi, resulting in the destruction of dozens of shops.
The incident occurred in the afternoon when a majority of people were on holiday due to Ashura. The fire rapidly spread across the second floor of the plaza, engulfing a large number of shops that housed garments, clothes, and jewellery. Shockingly, the blaze did not confine itself to Gulf Centre alone but also spread to adjacent buildings, including Rabi Plaza and China Centre.
The rescue team from Rescue 1122 immediately responded to the emergency and called for assistance from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) firefighters to help control the fire. However, the rescue operation faced challenges as mobile signals were suspended, making it difficult to reach Rescue 1122 promptly and hindering coordination efforts.
It took nearly three hours of relentless efforts by the firefighters to bring the fire under control. Tragically, by the time the blaze was contained, dozens of shops had been reduced to ashes, resulting in the loss of goods worth billions of rupees.
Gulf Centre Shopping Plaza, known to house approximately 250 to 300 shops, primarily comprised clothing stores on the ground floor and rug and blanket shops on the upper floor.
Fortunately, all the people inside the mall were evacuated promptly, and no casualties were reported, thanks to the swift action of the rescue officials.
Sibghatullah, the Rescue Incharge, expressed, “Our first response vehicle arrived promptly, but the remaining vehicles faced delays due to a traffic blockage.”
The absence of proper ventilation facilities inside the plaza contributed to the smoke spreading to neighbouring buildings, exacerbating the situation further.
As of now, the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, and authorities have launched an investigation to determine the origin of the blaze.
This devastating incident has left the shop owners and the community in shock, and the road to recovery for the affected businesses will undoubtedly be challenging.
