KARACHI -- At least 11 people, including three women, were killed and 75 others injured on Monday when a huge fire here ripped through a four-star hotel, the fourth blaze to hit Pakistan's largest city in the last two weeks.
The blaze broke out in the kitchen located at the ground floor of the Regent Plaza hotel at the city's Shahrah-i- Faisal and spread across the six-floor building, trapping nearly 100 hotel guests in their rooms.
Three fire tenders of the fire brigade reached the site and started an operation to rescue the guests. The firefighters were able to contain the fire after three hours, with 11 people having been killed, said Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Foundation.
Mayor of Karachi Waseem Akhtar visited the site of the incident and while talking to media, he said the fire has been contained but the cause of the fire could not be determined as of yet. He said rescue work was hampered due to absence of an emergency exit and spread of heavy smoke.
At least 75 people affected by the fire were brought to the emergency department, Dr Seemin Jamali, head of the emergency services at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre was quoted as saying by Dawn.
Amongst those were people who had fractured bones after jumping from hotel windows to escape, others had been hurt by shattered glass and many were treated for smoke inhalation, she said.
She said 11 bodies had been brought into the hospital.
Four women are among those killed. Three foreigners affected by the fire are in a stable condition, said Jamali.
The rescue operation has not ended, and some people are still reportedly trapped inside the hotel. The cause of fire is yet to be ascertained.
Pakistan cricketer Sohaib Maqsood was present in the hotel at the time of the incident.
Another cricketer Yasin Murtaza jumped from the second floor to the ground and fractured his ankle. Karamat Ali was injured by broken glass, according to sources.
Chief Fire Officer Tehseen Siddiqui said that the blaze was contained as it was not very intense and all guests had been evacuated from the hotel.
"Since the smoke kept circulating most of those who died or were injured was due to suffocation but we could contain the fire quickly as the air conditioning system kept on working," he said.
Television footages showed desperate guests trying to escape from their balconies while used bed sheets to climb down from windows.
Karachi, the biggest city of Pakistan, has seen a series of fire incidents in recent weeks. This is the fourth major fire to break out in the city in the last two weeks.
Hola Mohalla festival
(01 of11)
Open Image Modal"One of the five temporal seats of Sikhism, Anandpur Sahib located in Ropar district in Punjab, is the main place associated with festival of Hola Mohalla. It was here in 1699 that the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singhji started the Sikh panth. There is a magnificent Gurudwara atop a hilltop referred to as Keshgarh Sahib. The river Sutluj flows on the southern side forming a boundary with beautiful Himalayas in full panoramic view." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(02 of11)
Open Image Modal(03 of11)
Open Image Modal"Nihang Baljeet Singh was displaying his archery skills during 1998. His yellow robes and a very antique-looking bow and arrow and other weapons of war he was carrying on him made me capture this moment against a clear blue sky. A polarizer was used on the roll film camera with Kodak 400 asa film." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(04 of11)
Open Image Modal"This one was shot with a film camera in 1999 during the Tricennetary celebrations of the Khalksa Panth, this horse rider with a Neza (pointed weapon) used in tent pegging was gracefully displaying his martial art skills." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(05 of11)
Open Image Modal"In this shot I was experimenting with the photographic technique of ‘panning’. After many unsuccessful attempts, I finally got a shot of an elderly horseman in motion." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(06 of11)
Open Image Modal"Shot in 2010, this picture has a story behind it. Nihang Gulzar Singh, who is in his 70s, insisted that I give him an instant print, which he wanted to carry home for his family. After a lot of struggle and several explanations, I told him it was not possible to give him a print of his photo, which was his precondition for a photoshoot. I told him I would instead mail him at the earliest if he would give me his mailing address. I kept my promise but was not sure whether he received it or not. I also didn’t see him after that date even though I am a regular at the festival and know many of these warriors. The pink colour on his nose and his orange turban are the highlights of the photograph." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(07 of11)
Open Image Modal(08 of11)
Open Image Modal"Shot in 2012, this one was shot in a nihang camp where they were dressing up and getting ready for the final day of the festival at Charan Ganga Stadium. Some were tying their turban, some twirling their moustaches, some getting ready with newly stitched clothes. The ‘Khanda’ is evident on all the three warriors’s forehead, the symbol of Sikhism." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(09 of11)
Open Image Modal"Anandpur Sahib is referred to as ‘holy city of bliss’ and is mainly surrounded by semi-urban towns and villages. During the three-day festival, the town comes to life with lakhs of devotees converging here to pay their reverence to the 10th Guru. Devotees arriving in cars, vans, tractors, motorcycles are offered community kitchen food (langar) enroute to the gurudwara by the villagers." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(10 of11)
Open Image Modal"Shot in 2015, I had especially purchased a 85mm lens for potraite of Nihangs. Here is an exciting study of young and the old warriors." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)
(11 of11)
Open Image Modal"Langar or community kitchen is an integral part of Sikh culture. Villages which are situated on either side of the major roads leading to the gurudwara have makeshift arrangements for devotees. Freshly cook food is served free of cost with love and devotion and without any discrimination of caste, creed, colour and religion. Here village folks, men, women and youngsters are seen preparing langar. This is shot with a Nikon fisheye 10.5mm lens." (credit:Maninder Singh Sodhi)