At least 11 people were dead and 30 severely injured after a fire broke out on the sixth floor of a private hotel in the wee hours of Monday near Shahrah-e-Faisal in Karachi.
Firefighters were able to douse the fire after four hours, with the help of three fire tenders.
About 100 people were reported to be stranded at the hotel and were taken out by rescue workers using a crane.
Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar visited the site of the incident and while talking to media, he said the fire has been contained but the cause of the fire could not be determined as of yet. He said rescue work was hampered due to absence of an emergency exit and spread of heavy smoke.
According to Jinnah Hospital officials, as many as 30 people were in critical condition after suffering suffocation due to the smoke and were receiving medical attention.
At least 11 bodies were brought to the morgue, confirmed Dr Seemi Jamali, executive director and head of emergency at Jinnah Hospital.
Dr Jamali said three doctors were among the dead. Among the dead were seven men, four women. Most of the victims died due to suffocation. There were no foreigners among the dead.
More than 70 people are under treatment at the hospital, she added, of whom one is a foreigner.
'Windows broken to rescue the trapped'
SSP District South Karachi Saqib Ismail Memon said rescue teams reached the site promptly and broke window panes to rescue those trapped inside the hotel.
The official said the fire broke out in the kitchen and spread from there.
Cricketers among those affected
Pakistan batsman Sohaib Maqsood was present in the hotel at the time of the tragedy. UBL cricketers were also staying at the hotel and were evacuated from their rooms following the deadly fire.
Bowler Yasin Murtaza jumped from the second floor to the ground and fractured his ankle. Karamat Ali was injured by broken glass, according to sources.
