On Saturday night, a huge fire erupted in Gulistan-e-Johar that gutted more than 500 make-shift huts, leaving hundreds of families without a home. The fire broke off in block 12, where electric wires came in contact with one another, leading to a short circuit, which resulted in explosions in gas cylinders within the huts.
The fires rapidly swept the thick populated settlement, and people had to escape with what they could grab. It took two hours and firefighters managed the fire of Gulistan e Johar. There were no fatalities reported but the government affirmed that a number of livestock were harmed and residents lost valuables, house holds and motorcycles.
Shortly after the Gulistan e Johar fire erupted, rescue teams and Karachi firefighters arrived at the location. Teams swept the ground and started to cool it down to avoid the appearance of another spark. Representatives of the district administration and welfare organizations came to the rescue and organize the assistance.
The vast majority of the victimized families in Gulistan e Johar are nomadic people who lost both place to live and possessions. The local government began emergency assistance, feeding, water, and tents. There were also non-governmental organizations that were involved in the aid campaign to assist the displaced families.
The cause of the Gulistan e Johar fire is under investigation and safety conditions are being checked in surrounding settlements to prevent the occurrence of such problems in the future.
