Lessons from Gul Plaza: seven checks every building owner should make

On 17 January 2026 a fire that began in a shop selling artificial flowers spread through Gul Plaza, a 1,200-shop complex on M.A. Jinnah Road, Karachi. It took around 36 hours to control. Most victims died of smoke on the upper floors. Reports on the fire and its inquiry highlight failures that exist in many buildings across Pakistan.

Seven checks you can make this week

• Walk every escape route – are all exits unlocked from inside during working hours?
• Is there automatic smoke detection on every floor, and does it sound everywhere?
• Do you have sprinklers or at least hose reels on each floor, with water and a working pump?
• Are emergency lights and exit signs working when the power is cut?
• Can smoke be kept out of stairs (doors closed, ventilated staircases)?
• Is wiring inspected, with no overloaded extension boards?
• Do staff know the alarm, the exits and the assembly point – have you held a drill?

Technology helps most when it is connected: detectors that raise an alarm instantly, doors that release automatically on alarm, and alerts that reach security, management and responders at the same moment.