Karachi: Gulistan-e-Johar Furniture Market Fire Spreads to Residential Building

A fire swept through a furniture market near Kamran Chowrangi in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Johar on Friday. The flames spread to a neighboring residential building before firefighters brought both blazes under control. No casualties were reported.

Four fire tenders and a water bowser took part in the overnight firefighting operation. Rescue teams controlled the fire and began cooling operations to prevent it from reigniting.

Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan confirmed that no lives were lost. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire or establish the total financial losses.

Shopkeeper Claims Delayed Fire Brigade Response

According to reports, a shopkeeper named Asghar said the market had 20 shops and claimed the fire destroyed goods worth crores of rupees. He said someone reported the incident to the Karachi police helpline, Madadgar-15.

Asghar claimed firefighters took around 15 to 20 minutes to reach the scene. By then, the flames had spread through the market.

He also said the market had suffered a fire last year. The incident raises further concerns about fire safety and emergency response in Karachi’s commercial areas.

Similar Fire Hit Market in 2024

The same furniture market near Kamran Chowrangi caught fire on December 31, 2024. That incident destroyed more than 30 shops, according to reports at the time. Officials did not establish the cause, and no casualties were reported.

The extent of the damage from the latest fire remains unclear. Although some initial reports put the number of affected shops at more than 80, a shopkeeper quoted in a published report said the market contained 20 shops. Officials have not confirmed the higher figure.