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Massive Fire Destroys 500+ Shops at Karachi’s Millennium Mall
Over 500 shops gutted as fire rips through Karachi's Millennium Mall. Firefighters battled flames for hours; no injuries reported. Cause traced to short circuit in control room.
ND
by News Desk
2025-06-18
Massive Fire Destroys 500+ Shops at Karachi’s Millennium Mall

Karachi witnessed a devastating commercial tragedy early Tuesday morning as a massive fire tore through the Millennium Mall on Rashid Minhas Road, gutting over 500 shops and causing significant financial loss. Rescue officials confirmed that the blaze, which started around 4:00am, has been 90% extinguished after several hours of firefighting efforts.

According to Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan, the emergency team reached the site within 15 minutes of receiving the alert. A security guard on duty informed them that the fire began in the mall’s control room on the third floor due to a short circuit in the surveillance system. It’s believed that the initial flames may have been overlooked by mall management, allowing the fire to intensify.

Once the flames reached the mall’s roof—where chillers for the central air conditioning system were stored—they grew even more aggressive. The blaze sent heavy flames soaring dangerously close to the neighboring Saima Mall and Residency, sparking fears of it spreading further. However, quick action by firefighters prevented any collateral damage.

Twelve fire tenders and two snorkel units were deployed to tackle the inferno. The third floor of the three-story building, which housed over 150 shops, has been completely destroyed, while the lower two floors have sustained partial damage. Khan estimated that between 500 and 600 shops have been ruined in total.

“No injuries or casualties have been reported, which is a relief,” Khan stated. “But the financial losses are substantial.”

The cooling process is still underway, and firefighters are inspecting individual shops to ensure no hidden flames remain. Khan said full extinguishing and clearance operations could take another two hours due to the size and contents of the mall.

The incident has reignited serious concerns about fire safety compliance in Karachi. During a 2023 symposium, city engineers and planning experts warned that nearly 90% of Karachi’s residential, commercial, and industrial buildings lacked proper fire prevention or firefighting systems.

This incident further exposes the systemic vulnerability of Karachi’s infrastructure to such disasters. Calls are growing louder for the government and property developers to implement mandatory fire safety regulations and inspections across all commercial centers.

 
Tagged:

KarachiFire

MillenniumMallFire

CommercialLoss

ShortCircuitFire
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