Karachi (Web Desk): A deadly fire that tore through Gul Plaza on Karachi's MA Jinnah Road, has claimed 28 lives so far, while more than 80 people are still missing, officials said on Tuesday.
The blaze, which erupted late Saturday night, gutted most of the multi-storey shopping mall and caused extensive structural damage, leaving rescue teams struggling to reach those trapped inside.
Search and rescue workers were only able to enter the building nearly 40 hours after the fire started, once temperatures dropped and conditions became slightly safer. After completing a thorough search of the first floor, teams have now shifted their efforts to the second floor in an attempt to locate survivors or recover bodies buried under debris.
During the operation, flames briefly reignited on the second floor, forcing firefighters to intervene immediately by spraying water to contain the flare-up before resuming rescue work.
A Rescue 1122 Sindh spokesperson said teams have now accessed most sections of the damaged building and that search operations are continuing despite extremely difficult conditions.
With no power inside the mall, rescuers are relying on torches to move through dark, smoke-filled areas. Human body parts have been recovered, and efforts to retrieve more bodies are ongoing.
Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab visited the site late at night to personally oversee the rescue operation. He instructed authorities to accelerate their efforts and ensure that the operation continues until every missing person is traced. He said all departments of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation would remain on standby until the rescue work is fully completed.
On the mayor’s orders, additional heavy machinery was brought to the site to assist in clearing debris.
Authorities have also started removing vehicles that were parked on the roof at the time of the fire. So far, 32 vehicles — including 16 cars, four Suzuki vans, 12 motorcycles and one rickshaw — have been safely lowered with cranes and returned to their owners without damage.
Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi told reporters that 26 bodies have been recovered so far, and 13 of them have been identified. He said DNA testing would be used to establish the identities of the remaining victims.
According to him, reports regarding 75 missing persons have officially been registered with the authorities.
Describing the scale of the tragedy, Naqvi said the intensity of the fire was unprecedented. He confirmed that an inquiry committee has begun its investigation and is gathering evidence from the site. He stressed that rescue operations remain the top priority, but warned that strict action would be taken if criminal negligence is discovered.
Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khosa said the Sindh Building Control Authority would decide whether the fire-damaged structure should be demolished once rescue work is complete.
He added that debris removal has already begun and that families of more than 70 missing individuals have contacted the district administration. A detailed assessment of the damage will be carried out later on the instructions of the provincial government.
Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer Dr Abid Jalaluddin Sheikh said search operations are being conducted simultaneously at five critical points inside the building.
Special teams are assigned to firefighting and cooling duties to keep the area safe, while heavy machinery is being used to remove rubble. He said the building has suffered severe structural damage, making the operation slow, complex and risky due to the threat of collapse.
Chief Fire Officer Humayun Ahmed confirmed that the main fire has been fully extinguished and that cooling work is continuing.
He said firefighters had earlier suspended operations at the rear of the building after hearing cracking sounds, fearing that parts of the structure could collapse at any moment.
The fire broke out at around 10:15pm on Saturday at the well-known commercial centre. Despite the deployment of multiple fire engines, the flames spread rapidly through the building, eventually causing sections of the structure to give way.