Fire accidents in Karachi are not new, yet we treat each incident as an isolated tragedy rather than a symptom of systemic infrastructure failure. The Gul Plaza fire, which led to a structural collapse, tragic loss of life, and huge financial losses to the economic system, is just another accident to join the list of disasters such as Bolton Market, Cooperative Market, Timber Market, etc, and many more.

The poor emergency response, lack of institutional capacity, non-existent safety measures for fire workers, and, most importantly, the absence of enforced fire safety standards in buildings were brought to the attention of the entire city, as Gul Plaza was a market visited by all segments of society.

The heart of this problem lies in the dangerous balance between building use and building capacity. Buildings that were designed decades ago for limited commercial activity are now used as high-traffic shopping malls with shops, warehouses, eateries, and vehicular parking. The electrical systems are overloaded, escape routes are blocked, staircases are narrowed by encroachment, and firefighting is nearly impossible in these buildings due to congestion.

Cities in developing nations face similar problems, such as aging infrastructure, informality in development, and rapid urbanisation, but have learned from their mistakes and demonstrated that fire safety can be improved on an ad hoc basis as well. For example, in Brazil, nightclub and high-rise fires prompted the government to implement regulatory reforms to strengthen evacuation procedures and fire safety audits, contributing to safer buildings.

Real resilience will only come in the form of active preventive measures to ensure the safety of our homes and workplaces

Similarly, Argentina’s adoption of international fire codes aligned with local testing standards for alarms, exits, and suppression systems is another example from the developing world. In Singapore, the country’s strict fire safety regime is ensured through routine inspections, certifications, and public accountability. This has led to a measurable reduction in fire incidents across residential and industrial zones.

Moreover, Indonesia has a national-provincial partnership in this regard, which has resulted in a major decline in commercial fires. These instances clearly indicate that progress does not depend on wealth but on good governance, prioritisation, and strict enforcement.

By contrast, Karachi continues to host a varied stock of unsafe buildings that are still occupied despite lacking any fire safety provisions. This is very clear in the congested markets, where buildings serve as pseudo-malls for the middle class. Areas such as Saddar, Tariq Road, Hyderi market, Liaquatabad, and Karimabad are visited by thousands of shoppers daily, in buildings and streets not designed for such heavy usage, not to mention the lack of accessibility for a fire truck.

Narrow stairwells, sealed shopfronts, grilled openings, illegal mezzanines, and locked exits are common. These markets are now used like high-end modern malls but lack modern safety compliance regimes or systems built into the design of new malls, and a small electric spark can escalate into a mass-casualty event.

While the fire safety infrastructure on the city level is the state’s responsibility, occupants need to look out for themselves. We hire security guards for our homes, shops, and streets, despite there being police stations and chowkis in every area. Unfortunately, this is just another aspect of urban life that we need to control on our own.

Karachi’s citizens are opening their hearts and wallets for the affectees of the recent tragedy, which is being labelled as a display of resilience, but real resilience will only come in the form of active preventive measures to ensure the safety of our homes and workplaces.

Warning signs are very clear; too many bunched-up exposed wiring, illegal connections or kundas, absence of alarms or smoke detectors, poor ventilation, fixed grilles in openings, unsafe storage for flammable materials, lack of fire-extinguishers, blocked exits with illegal commercial encroachment, and poor ventilation are very common sightings in a regular market for Karachi’s middle class.

Retrofitting the buildings for fire safety does not always involve structural intervention. Existing buildings must also be encouraged to add external or internal fire-exit staircases as retrofitted features that exit on the pavement, and these escape routes should be foldable or well-integrated in the street design, not treated as violations or as an afterthought, but should serve the building and the city.

Along with fire-resistant doors on staircases, emergency lighting, and clear signage, these measures can significantly improve human safety in the event of a fire. In congested markets and apartment blocks, corridors should be cleared, spaces should be compartmentalised to slow fire spread, existing stairwells should be enclosed, and fire drills should be conducted regularly in markets, schools, and even large apartment complexes.

Market associations need to enforce this as a mandatory activity, as they can differentiate between safe escape and fatal entrapment. Security measures to deter theft often create fatal bottlenecks, fixed grilles on windows, staircase openings, and side entrances block escape routes and trap occupants inside. While grilles are necessary to prevent theft and burglary, they should have quick-release mechanisms and collapsible systems that preserve life safety while ensuring security.

While individual residents and shopkeepers lack resources for meaningful upgrades, pooled private investment can support shared alarm systems, professional audits, and basic firefighting infrastructure. However, this ‘apni madad aap’ cannot substitute the role of the government, which continues to give excuses.

The writer is an architect and an urban planner currently leading her own practise, “Beyond Facades”.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, January 25th, 2026