Tanveer Pasta, president of the Gul Plaza Traders Association, has explained the reason behind the electricity shutdown at the plaza, stating that the decision was taken purely as a precautionary measure to prevent further loss of life.
Speaking to the media at the site of the incident, Tanveer Pasta said that the access routes of the market were not closed. He added that the emergency ramp remained open and two exit routes through the mosque were also available, which allowed several people to safely evacuate the building.
He said that if the electricity at Gul Plaza had not been switched off in time, even those who managed to escape would not have been able to get out, which is why the power supply was cut after carefully assessing the situation.
It is worth noting that the scope of the investigation into the Gul Plaza tragedy has been further expanded, and authorities have decided to conduct chemical examinations of samples taken from the victims’ bodies to determine the exact cause of the incident.
According to sources, laboratory tests will reveal whether any chemicals were present inside the building, while investigators are also examining the reasons behind the rapid spread of the fire.
So far, the deaths of 61 people have been confirmed in the Gul Plaza tragedy, while 86 individuals are still reported missing, and search operations are ongoing.
