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Huts on Fire

Urban Resource Centre
A-2/2, 2nd Floor, Westland Trade Centre, Commercial Area, Shaheed-e-Millat Road,
Block 7 & 8 Karachi Pakistan, Tel: +92 21 - 4559317 Fax: 4387692
E-mail; urc@cyber.net.pk,   Web Site www.urckarachi.org

URC has also been documenting incidents of fire in Katchi Abadis (informal and low income settlements) of Karachi since 1995. Since January ’97, a total number of 1,806 huts were gutted in different settlements. These incidents have rendered more than 12,204 people homeless. 19 minor children, four young girls, two women and four men were also burnt alive in these incidents, besides a number of severe physical injuries.

List of some incidents:

· On 1^{st February 2007 as many as 17 huts out 50 gutted by fire near Aziz Bhatti Park Gulshan-e-Iqbal}

· On 24th March 2007, at least five huts were burnt near Al-Asif Square Sohrab Goth. Two fire tenders moved to the scene and extinguished the fire but only after five huts were gutted.

 

· On 10th April 2007 a fire erupted in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town when a kerosene stove burst in a hut, reducing at least seven huts to ashes. The fire broke out at around 3.35 p.m. in the hutment mostly occupied by beggars, just opposite the Urdu Science College within Aziz Bhatti police limits.

 

· On 24th December 2006 some 25 huts were completely gutted when a fire broke out in Sector-5C-2, area in New Karachi. 25 huts were completely burnt in the fire while 100 remained safe and no casualty was reported. The cause of the fire could not be determined.

 

· On 20th November 2006 two young sisters died in a house fire in Korangi. Their mother and brother have been admitted to the Civil Hospital with severe burns. The two sisters were four and seven years old. The fire broke out in a shanty town, damaging between 120 huts, occupied mostly by Bangladeshi-origin people. According to community a property dispute could be behind the arson attack.

 

· On 31st October 2006 around 60 huts were gutted when a fire broke out in Jumma Goth near Aladin Park in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. According to community a fire sparked all of sudden, reducing more than 60 hutments to ashes.
Over 400 people residing in the burnt hutments were rendered homeless.

 

· At least nine persons including six children burnt alive when fire broke out in huts of Hawa Goth in Orangi Town Sector 11 ½, here on Friday night 6th January 2006. According to Pakistan Bazar Police Station the reason behind the blaze was not known. The bodies were sent to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Over 50 huts were destroyed in this incident.

 

· On 14th April 2005, a woman and her 4 years old daughter were burnt alive when their hut caught fire in Block 12 Gulistan Jauhar.

 

· On 1st January 2005 two small children were burnt to death after their hut caught fire in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. Mr. Hafizullah, a junk-dealer, had nine children and a wife. His wife worked as maidservant at several houses in Block-13 of the Gulistan-e-Jauhar. Hafiz went to work, so did his wife, taking along four of the children. She left behind five children in the hut established on a vacant plot. Hafiz's three children were playing outside the hut while two children, Boral, 3, and one-year-old Bilawal, were asleep inside the hut, which caught fire. The children were burnt fatally by the time the fire brigade extinguished the fire. The three children, playing outside, remained safe.

 

· Pirwali Gali, Masan Road Bhutta Villege Kiamari Town, one hut gutted on 9 May 2004. A woman and her two young daughters burnt alive and two other young girls of the same family got serious injuries.

 

· Near KESC Power House Block 19 Gulshan-e-Iqbal, 30 huts were gutted on 5th January 2004. According to press reports, the police and city administration intentionally put the huts on fire. The police and city administration had been trying to get this land vacated, but due to strong resistance from the community, they were unable to do so. Finally they used criminal tactics by putting the huts on fire. Over 200 men, women and children rendered homeless.

 

· Shanti Nagar Block 12 Gulshan-e-Iqnal 12 huts were destroyed and a six months old baby was burnt alive. The poor community also lost their entire household belongings including cash.

 

 

· 45 huts were gutted in Plot B 99 Block 5 F.B. Area on 15 January 2003, one minor died and 35 other people were injured.

 

· 40 huts were gutted near Darul Sehat hospital Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 14 on 10 March 2003. 23 people were injured

 

· Altaf Nagar Sector 4 Korangi 22 huts gutted on 13 November 2004.

 

· Shanti Nagar Gulshan-e-Iqbal 30 huts were destroyed by the fire on 2nd September 2004. The community members lost all their household goods

 

· Block 13/A Gulshan-e-Iqbal, 30 huts were destroyed by the fire on 28 October 2003. Around 200 men, women and children lost their shelter and household belongings in this incident.

 

· 75 huts were gutted in Afghan Basti Sohrab Goth on 10 April 2003 one minor died and 20 other injured

 

· 45 huts were gutted in Plot B 99 Blocks 5 F.B. Area on 15 January 2003, one minor died and 35 other people were injured.

 

 

· 40 huts were gutted near Darul Sahat hospital Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 14 on 10 March, 23 people were injured

 

 

Two main causes are identified for these incidents; one natural and the other planned. The planned incidents are those, in which the land mafia is involved. To draw attention towards fire incidents in Karachi, URC circulates reports containing facts and figures on the issue to the press, NGOs and government agencies.