DEATH traps litter the country’s most vertical city of Karachi. Commercial and residential buildings in the latter are haphazardly planned and fitted with inconsequential wherewithal to prevent or fight fires, boosting the chances of infernos erupting in the metropolis. The authorities have consistently failed to control the mushroom growth of multistorey structures or to take action against architects and builders flouting fire and safety regulations. This was underscored by town planners, engineers and experts present at a fire safety symposium organised by the Fire Protection Association of Pakistan on Wednesday. They said that some 90pc of Karachi’s structures — residential, commercial and industrial — were without fire prevention and firefighting systems, which was “criminal negligence” perpetrated by regulatory bodies on the city’s teeming millions. In fact, as recently as last week, a high-rise blaze on I.I. Chundrigar Road left a woman injured.Meanwhile, in 2022, according to a Fire Brigade Department report, Karachi witnessed as many as 2,081 fire incidents.

Karachi’s history offers many horrors; the ghastliest was the Baldia factory arson in 2012 — a deliberate firetrap where victims succumbed to smoke inhalation, suffocation and severe burns. But even that did not force anyone out of their stupor to notice the perils that fires pose to humans and assets. It is high time provincial governments sent notices to properties, builders, architects and planners for non-compliance with fire procedures. Moreover, newly built houses, shops and buildings should be subject to regular inspections so that fire rules are not flouted; fire alarms, sprinklers and other equipment have to become mandatory, with weekly fire drills, especially in densely populated localities and labour-intensive industries. But fire tragedies are impossible to tackle unless there is an abundance of overhauled fire brigades, firefighters and safety gear. Apathy will keep long-running questions, and pain, ablaze. Rulers would be well advised to prioritise people’s safety with a firm eye on a significant drop in fire emergencies.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2023