KARACHI - A youth, who arrived at the Karachi Electricity Supply Company for interview, lost his life after he fell down from the eighth floor of the State Life Insurance Building, Saddar when the building caught fire on Wednesday.
He was identified as Owais Baig, 23, son of Rasheed Baig, a resident of Gulistan-e-Jauhar area.
The fire broke out at the first floor of the building at around 11am which also engulfed other floors of the buildings. Following the incident, fire fighters along with the fire tenders and snorkels rushed to the site but he already fell from the 8th floor.
According to fire brigade officials, they were informed late as people in the building first tried to extinguish fire themselves, adding that the boy could be saved if they informed fire the brigade department on time.
They said that the fire only damaged the infrastructure in the first floor while the smokes caused panic and fear as it spread in the entire building and several people went to the rooftop to save their lives, who were later safely evacuated by the snorkels.
More than 1,500 people were present at the site when the fire broke out and most of them were themselves managed to escape while the remaining others were rescued by Rangers, police and fire fighters.
Police officials, fire brigade officials and witnesses said that it had yet to be ascertained that how the victim fell down as he only went to the window to save his life and later he fell down mysteriously, adding that it has yet to be ascertained that either he himself jumped or fell down after losing grip. However, the fire fighters later managed to extinguish fire with the hectic efforts of two hours. Some people felt conscious who were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and later discharged after first-aid.
Fire brigade officials said that the emergency exit ways were also available in the building while there was also proper fire safety system.
The deceased was immediately taken to JPMC where he succumbed to injuries. According to doctors, most of his bones were broken and he died shortly after his arrival at the hospital.