KARACHI: Four prosecution witnesses, including a 13-year-old boy, told a magistrate that the deadly fire at Gul Plaza Shopping Mall began in an artificial flower shop on the ground floor. The fire broke out on the night of January 17 and took nearly two days to be fully put out. The ground-plus-three-storey mall was badly damaged, with some parts collapsing. On Monday, the investigation officer brought the four witnesses before Judicial Magistrate Aasim Aslam to record their statements under Section 164 of the criminal procedure code. Aryan, the 13-year-old witness, said he saw 11-year-old Huzaifa, the flower shop owner's son, playing with matchsticks just before the fire started. Aryan visited Huzaifa around 10 pm and found him alone in the shop playing with matches. Three salesmen working in the mall also gave their statements. Waleed said he heard a shout about the fire while inside his shop and saw the fire already blazing in the artificial flower shop. He and other shopkeepers tried to remove the flower decorations but found they were screwed in place. As smoke and fire grew strong, Waleed escaped. Hamza, 29, said he saw the fire start while doing his shop accounts. Water dousing did not work, so he ran for safety. Talha, 28, was talking with a colleague when the fire broke out. They tried to stop it but left when it became uncontrollable. A manslaughter case has been registered against unknown persons following the complaint by the Nabi Bux police station SHO.