karachi-fire-10-AFP-670
Residents look on during the rescue operation after a deadly fire at a garment factory in Karachi, Sept 12, 2012. — File Photo by AFP

KARACHI: The tribunal formed to investigate the cause of fire which erupted in one of Karachi’s factory killing at least 258 people on Sept 11 would present its report to the Sindh government on Sept 28, DawnNews reported.

Two Medico-Legal Officers (MLO)  on Wednesday recorded their statements to the tribunal which was headed by Justice (retd) Zahid Qurban Alvi .

The MLO of Jinnah hospital Dr Jagdeesh Kumar presented post-mortem reports of nine of the victims of the factory fire. He said that these people died because of intensity of the fire and excess inhaling of carbon-monoxide.

Some people died because of fear, shock and ingestion of poisonous gases in stomach and brain, he added.

The MLO of the civil hospital Dr Abdul Haq presented post-mortem reports of the fifteen people deceased in the incident.

He said that a certain type of chemical test of the dead-bodies could have ascertained the cause of the fire but there was no facility in the country to conduct those tests.

The tribunal adjourned the hearing after recording statements.

The tribunal said that it would submit the investigative report to the Sindh government by Sept 28.

The statements of the owners, fire officer and other government officials have already been recorded by the tribunal.

Earlier on Monday, the owners of the factory, while recording their statement, said that despite many calls to the fire department, the fire fighters reached the factory after an hour of the incident.

The owners had also claimed that during the fire-fighting and rescue operation by the fire department, the water in their reserves was finished and the rescue operation was halted for some time.

At least 258 workers perished in the horrific fire that destroyed the garment factory named Ali Enterprises in Karachi on Sept 11, an unprecedented industrial tragedy that prompted calls for an overhaul of poor safety standards.

Opinion

Editorial

Border clashes
19 May, 2024

Border clashes

THE Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier has witnessed another series of flare-ups, this time in the Kurram tribal district...
Penalising the dutiful
19 May, 2024

Penalising the dutiful

DOES the government feel no remorse in burdening honest citizens with the cost of its own ineptitude? With the ...
Students in Kyrgyzstan
Updated 19 May, 2024

Students in Kyrgyzstan

The govt ought to take a direct approach comprising convincing communication with the students and Kyrgyz authorities.
Ominous demands
Updated 18 May, 2024

Ominous demands

The federal government needs to boost its revenues to reduce future borrowing and pay back its existing debt.
Property leaks
18 May, 2024

Property leaks

THE leaked Dubai property data reported on by media organisations around the world earlier this week seems to have...
Heat warnings
18 May, 2024

Heat warnings

STARTING next week, the country must brace for brutal heatwaves. The NDMA warns of severe conditions with...