KARACHI: A police inquiry has concluded that a short circuit in a wire, which was part of the overall “substandard electrical installations”, on the fourth floor of the RJ Shopping Mall set off a fire that claimed 11 lives on Nov 25, it emerged on Tuesday.

The inquiry committee held the building owner and administration as well as those who owned the call centre responsible for the deaths, injuries and financial losses caused by the fire.

All victims were suffocated to death as there was no ventilation on the six-storey commercial building located on main Rashid Minhas Road near Jauhar Mor, as per doctors and fire department officials.

Two officials familiar with the content of the inquiry report told Dawn that a four-member body led by DIG-East Azfar Mahesar and comprising SSP Irfan Bahadur, SSP Saud Magsi and Gulshan SP Ayaz Husain had completed its report.

Inquiry body questioned officials of 12 institutions; builder did not obtain completion certificate from Cantonment Board Faisal

“The spark in the electric wire inside the RJ Mall caused a fire in the cafeteria of fourth floor [at 6:12am], which could be confirmed from the CCTV footage,” the report said, adding that substandard electrical wires and installations of the ‘false ceiling’ caused the rapid spread of the fire.

Lack of emergency exit and firefighting equipment caused more damage, it added.

“The builder has not obtained the completion certificate [from relevant institutions] of the building,” the report said, adding the Cantonment Board Faisal “did not confirm about the completion of the building and existence of fire safety system”.

Citing chapters 84 and 88 of relevant by-laws, the report said that there was no fire safety system in the mall as per laws.

“The builder handed over the shops to the shopkeepers without obtaining a completion certificate,” it said. “Responsibility of the damages caused by the fire in the building lies with the owner, administration and A & I Foundation.”

An officer said that A & I Foundation was a call centre/software firm located on the fourth floor of the building where the fire had erupted. Lift on the fourth floor was also sealed for better air conditioning, said the report.

The inquiry committee had investigated officials of 12 institutions. The members of the committee also reviewed the reports of the cantonment board, KE and KMC fire department. They also investigated the owners of the administration, security in-charge, administration and relatives of the victims.

Moreover, experts from NED University also gave their input about the fire to the committee.

The inquiry committee recommended legal proceedings against the owner of the RJ Mall, administration and A & I Foundation.

Besides, it has also been suggested that electric and gas connections should not be given to buildings without a certificate of the completion.

“Approval of the fire department should be made mandatory for all buildings,” as per the report, besides after completion of the building, institutions and cantonment boards concerned after examination should also give clearance.

An exercise or drill should be carried out in all high-rise residential and commercial buildings after a gap of two months regarding fire safety, the report suggested.

“All substandard buildings should be sealed,” suggested the report, adding that the electrical installations should be up to required standard.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2023