KARACHI: Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed has submitted her written response to a judicial commission investigating the deadly fire at Gul Plaza earlier this year.
In her report, she confirmed that most victims died due to severe burns and smoke inhalation. She noted that eight injured individuals were brought in for treatment following the incident.
A total of 73 bodies and human remains were received, including seven intact bodies and the remains of 66 victims who were badly burned. Due to the extreme condition of the remains, complete postmortems could not be carried out in many cases.
Dr. Syed stated that available evidence suggests most victims were alive when the fire broke out. Minor injuries were observed on intact bodies, but these did not indicate a stampede or structural collapse.
She also pointed out that the condition and location of the bodies indicated victims had been trapped for an extended period before rescue.
Samples have been collected to test for toxic gases or chemicals, though toxicology reports are still pending. All medico-legal reports have been handed over to the relevant authorities.
The fire erupted on the night of January 17 and burned for over 32 hours before being contained, highlighting serious gaps in the city’s emergency response system.
