Post by : Meena Ariff

What started as a small fire inside a busy Karachi shopping mall quickly became a terrifying experience for everyone inside.

Muhammad Imran, who works at the mall, said he did not worry at first. He thought it was just another small spark that shop owners would put out easily, as had happened before. But this time, the fire spread much faster than anyone expected.

Within moments, thick black smoke began moving through the mall’s air ducts. The clean air disappeared, and breathing became difficult. People started coughing, shouting, and running in different directions.

Soon after, the electricity went off. The mall was thrown into complete darkness. Shoppers pulled out their mobile phones and turned on flashlights, but the smoke was so heavy that even the light could not help.

“You couldn’t see your own hands,” Imran said. “You couldn’t even see the person standing next to you.”

Panic spread quickly. People tried to find exits, but many were confused. Some ran into walls, while others stopped moving because they did not know where to go.

Imran, who has diabetes and has already had heart surgery, struggled badly. He managed to walk only a few steps before his body felt weak. The smoke burned his chest, and his legs began to give up.

“It felt like the end of the world,” he said quietly.

All around him, people were crying, calling for help, and shouting the names of family members. The smoke grew thicker with every second, and fear filled the air.

Emergency teams later arrived and helped evacuate people from the mall. Many were rushed to hospitals after breathing in too much smoke. Doctors said some victims were lucky to survive.

Authorities have now started an investigation to find out how the fire began and why the smoke spread so quickly. Questions are also being raised about fire safety systems and emergency exits in the mall.

For those who lived through it, the memories remain painful. What was meant to be a normal day of work and shopping turned into a fight for life.

#Global News