Pakistan Cricket team members, PIA cabin crew members and some foreigners including Chinese official survived in tragedy
At least 11 people were killed and 75 others injured when a huge fire erupted at Karachi’s Regent Plaza hotel early Monday, police and doctors said.
According to the hotel resources, the fire began at 3:00 am in the kitchen on the ground floor of the Regent Plaza hotel located at Shara-e-Faisal, before spreading through the building. In short time, fire travelled through the air conditioning ducts, engulfing a major part of the hotel in flames.
The official said that firefighters completed the rescue work in three and a half hours and 11 floors of the hotel were all searched and cleared. The foreigners present inside the hotel could not understand Urdu because of which some of the rescue efforts were delayed.
Head of emergency and Executive Director at the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Complex Dr. Seemi Jamali, told media that “30 of the victims brought to the hospital were in critical condition and were being treated for asphyxiation”.
More than 70 people received treatment at Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Complex most of the injured have been discharged. Among the treated injured several were foreigners staying at the hotel, including some Chinese officials. She added
Dr. Seemi Jamali also confirmed at least eleven dead bodies were brought to the hospital of which seven men and four women were included.
Additional police surgeon Dr. Kaleem Sheikh said during rescuing hotel guests, four Serving doctors and hotel on duty manager also lost their lives.
Pakistani cricketers participating in ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament at Karachi were also present in the hotel at the incident time. Batsman Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Amin, Hammad Azam, Bowler Yasin Murtaza got fractured his ankle while jumping from the second floor to the ground and Karamat Ali was injured by broken glass.
The UBL team manager Nadeem Khan said, Batsman Sohaib Maqsood helped in rescue efforts and helped families trapped inside the hotel. The cricketers also helped in escaping some Chinese officials trapped inside the building.
Pakistan International Airlines sixteen (16) cabin crew members belonging to Islamabad and Peshawar were also injured at fire tragedy in Regent Plaza Hotel.
A statement issued by PIA said “While most of the cabin crew members were discharged after receiving necessary first aid, some are undergoing treatment.”
DIG South Karachi Azad Khan briefed that one person died due to burns while most of the deaths occurred due to suffocation. He said investigation will begin once medical evidence is collected and a case will be registered after survivor accounts start coming in.
Many Pakistani buildings have low health and safety standards, while the city’s firefighters are often equipped with poor and inadequate equipment.
