Hi-roof fire toll rises to nine as three minors pass away

Three children, who had sustained critical burn injuries in the fire that erupted on Friday night in a Hi-roof in New Karachi, succumbed to their injuries at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) on Saturday.

“Seven-year-old Arsalan Deedar, and Maavia Nasir, also seven, who had been brought to the NICH with 100 per cent burn injuries, had died in the early hours of Saturday during treatment while an eight-year-old girl, Hafsa Nasir, who was 90 per cent burnt, died on Saturday evening,” said Dr Jamal Raza, the NICH director, as he spoke to The News.

Dr Raza said Hafsa had been put on a ventilator after she was brought to the health facility with 90 per cent burn injuries, but her life could not be saved. He added that among the two minors who had died on the previous night, Maavia was her brother and Arsalan a cousin.

Six members of an extended family, including a woman and minor children, were burnt to death when the Hi-roof in which they were travelling to attend a wedding ceremony caught a fire in North Karachi on Friday night.