- Investigators hold Regent Plaza hotel administration, civil defence responsible for tragedy
STAFF REPORT
Police registered an FIR against owners and management of the Regent Plaza hotel, said Ismail Memon, SSP South.
The case was registered after an investigation report regarding the incident that claimed 12 lives was completed, and submitted to the Chief Minister Sindh, Murad Ali Shah.
The report declared the hotel administration and civil defence responsible for the tragedy. It cites police sources in stating that there were no trained personnel on the premises to extinguish the fire; emergency exits were closed and there were no folding ladders; the fire alarms present in the hotel did not meet quality standards; there were no arrangements in place to open windows in the event of a fire breakout, police stated.
The FIR was registered at Saddar police station citing criminal negligence, carelessness, and not following the security plan in place.
A senior police official in the inquiry report further stated that the management of the hotel not only failed to follow the security plan, but also failed to inform emergency services in a timely manner.
At least 12 people were killed and 75 others injured when a huge fire erupted at Karachi’s Regent Plaza hotel earlier this week.
The blaze broke out at 3:00AM in the hotel’s kitchen on the ground floor and travelled through the air conditioning ducts, engulfing a major part of the hotel in flames.
