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.

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