At least ten people have died and dozens remain missing after a devastating fire tore through a multi-storey shopping centre in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city. Rescue teams recovered four more bodies overnight as the search for victims continues.
Blaze Erupts in Commercial Hub
The fire broke out late on Saturday in the Gul Plaza building. It spread rapidly through shops storing a volatile mix of cosmetics, garments, and plastic goods, according to the city's chief rescue officer, Dr Abid Jalal Sheikh.
Firefighters battled the inferno for nearly 24 hours before finally extinguishing the blaze late on Sunday. This allowed rescue teams to enter the severely damaged structure to search for survivors and recover the dead.
Search for the Missing Intensifies
On Sunday, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah stated that families had reported approximately 60 people missing, prompting a large-scale search operation. Distraught relatives gathered outside the charred building on Monday, many weeping as they awaited news.
Mayor Murtaza Wahab confirmed the recovery of four additional bodies overnight, raising the official death toll to ten. However, some local media outlets have reported a higher figure of at least 14 fatalities.
A History of Deadly Fires
The cause of the latest fire is not yet known, and police have confirmed an investigation is underway. This tragedy highlights a grim pattern in Karachi, the capital of Sindh province, where deadly fires are frequently blamed on poor safety standards and illegal construction.
The city has witnessed several similar disasters in recent years. In November 2023, a fire at a Karachi shopping mall killed ten people and injured 22. A far more catastrophic blaze at a garments factory in the city in 2012 resulted in the deaths of 260 people, one of the worst industrial fires in the nation's history.
