A GENERAL store situated at Qayumabad, Karachi, is providing items to consumers at very reasonable prices. It also has a very efficient valet service. The store, which has a basement, ground floor and first floor, is jampacked during the first week of the month and weekends. It has only one entrance on the ground floor and the exit in the basement is through two lifts and a stair exit.

In case of fire, bomb blast or other emergency there is no fire exit or proper safety instructions for customers.

The staff too is not trained to cater for emergencies. The only available measures are fire waterhoses and fire extinguishers which, in emergency, will not be easily accessible. This matter was brought to the notice of the management on April 1 through their complaint form but no action has been taken so far. The provincial Disaster Management Authority is requested to take appropriate action in this regard.

Farooq Dawood

Karachi

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2017