KARACHI: A devastating fire broke out early Wednesday at Millennium Mall on Rashid Minhas Road, gutting at least 250 shops and destroying merchandise worth billions of rupees, according to officials.
The fire, which began around 3:50am on the rooftop, where generators and chillers were installed, quickly spread to the third and fourth floors of the mall.
Shops selling ready-made clothes, unstitched fabric, furniture, electronics, and other goods were reduced to ashes.
As word spread, panicked shopkeepers rushed to the scene, with some, despite the danger, entering the burning building to save money and goods.
Eyewitnesses said many, including women, risked their lives to save whatever they could.
Initially, four fire trucks were sent to the site, but as the blaze grew, the number increased to 11 fire tenders, two tubes, and several water bowsers.
However, firefighters struggled due to delays in water supply from the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), which severely affected early efforts to control the fire.
Reports also revealed that firefighters spent nearly 30 minutes measuring the scene before a snorkel from Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) arrived, which finally enabled them to begin effective firefighting operations.
Heavy smoke and high flames sparked panic in the surrounding residential areas, especially in D Block of Saima Shopping Mall, forcing many families—women, children, and the elderly included, to evacuate their homes.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassan confirmed the fire started at 3:50am, but rescue teams arrived an hour late. Six ambulances, along with units from the Fire Brigade, DC East Office, K-Electric, and SSGC, were deployed.
Although security guards inside the mall were evacuated, many shopkeepers, particularly women, rushed in despite repeated warnings in hopes of saving their possessions.
Several shopkeepers were seen in tears, devastated by the loss of businesses they had built over a lifetime. Many were unaware of the fire until morning and arrived only to find everything gone.
The chief fire officer stated that early investigations suggest the fire likely began in the third-floor control room due to electrical faults and malfunctioning chillers.
The lack of a working fire suppression system inside the mall allowed the flames to spread quickly.
Shopkeepers and nearby residents criticized the “delayed response” from authorities and the severe water shortage, blaming these factors for the scale of destruction.
Many also questioned why the mall’s own fire safety mechanisms were not functioning.
This incident marks the third fire at a commercial property in Karachi within a single week.