CDA to conduct fire safety audit of high-rise buildings after Islamabad mall fire

• CDA decides to carry out audit after fire in Islamabad mall.
• Decides to test high-rise buildings through real-time mock exercises.
• Announces awards for Rescue 1122 Rawalpindi staff. 

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to conduct the post-fire structure stability audit of all the high-rises in Islamabad, after a popular mall in the Capital caught fire on Sunday.

The decision was taken in a meeting headed by CDA Chairman Captain (r) Muhammad Usman Younis on Monday, which decided that all the buildings with heights above 50 feet would be put to fire audit, The News reported. 

It was also decided that high-rise buildings would also be tested for real-time mock exercises. The meeting also observed that there was also a need to improve emergency services response and to equip emergency disaster cells with the latest equipment.

The CDA chairman also announced to award certificates to the staff of Rescue 1122, Rawalpindi for actively participating in rescue and fire extinguishing work.

Meanwhile, the rescue and emergency services put out a large fire that broke out at the 36-storey Centaurus Mall, located in the heart of the city at Jinnah Avenue on Sunday. However, there was no casualty and the blaze has been completely contained and the building has been sealed for further investigation.

CDA Chairman and Chief Commissioner Capt (r) Mohammad Usman Younis said the fire brigade, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force and Rescue 1122 took part in the firefighting operation. A helicopter crew was also dispatched to help with the rescue efforts and stop the flames from spreading to other floors of the building.

Hundreds of families were busy shopping and dining at different floors of the mall when a massive blaze broke out in the food court on the 4th floor of the shopping centre.

The fire was brought under control after two hours, the CDA administration confirmed, the cooling process, later, continued for over an hour. Islamabad Police said rescue teams pulled out people trapped in the mall via a rear entrance before carrying out a search operation inside the building.

As a precaution, the Mall and its allied residential towers were sealed till the technical team reports on the structural capability of the towers after the fire incident. 

A spokesperson of Islamabad Police said that after the completion of the rescue operation, the building of the shopping mall will be sealed by the order of the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad and nobody will be allowed to enter the shopping mall.