A 21-page official inquiry report into the tragic fire at Gul Plaza has been released which shed light on the series of failures that worsened the incident.
According to the report, the fire originated in the Flower and Gift shop when a match ignited artificial flowers.
The shop owner had left an 11-year-old child in the store before departing. Flammable materials caused the blaze to spread rapidly throughout the building. A neighboring shop worker witnessed the incident firsthand.
The inquiry committee described leaving young children unattended in the shop as gross negligence. It also found that the floor guard turned off electricity five minutes after the fire began, which created panic among the 2,500 people present. Unsafe electrical systems further intensified the fire.
At the time, three to four gates on the ground floor were open, but smoke blocked the stairways, trapping several people inside shops. By 10:50–10:55pm, the fire had reached third-degree intensity and engulfed the entire building.
The report also pointed to shortcomings in emergency response. Firefighting equipment proved largely ineffective, water supply was delayed, and the first water bowser reached the site at 11:53pm.
Continuous water supply only began after midnight. Rescue efforts were hampered as metal cutters were unavailable, and iron grilles could not be removed promptly. Firefighters also lacked proper tools and protective gear.
The report highlights serious lapses in safety standards, emergency preparedness, and supervision, underlining the urgent need for stricter regulations in commercial complexes to prevent future tragedies.
