Firefighters in Karachi have begun recovering bodies from the remains of Gul Plaza, a sprawling shopping mall where at least 21 people have died and more than 60 remain missing following a massive blaze that erupted late Saturday.
The fire, which broke out at the 1,200-shop multi-storey complex in the city’s historic centre, raged for more than 24 hours before being largely brought under control. Videos from the scene showed flames engulfing the building as emergency teams worked through the night to suppress the fire.
By Monday, rescue teams were cooling the structure and clearing debris, including twisted metal, fallen air-conditioning units, and damaged shop signboards. Much of the building has collapsed, and cranes have been used to demolish remaining sections amid fears of further collapse.
Mohammed Ameen of the Edhi emergency services charity said the fire had claimed 21 lives, including a child. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had previously reported 15 deaths, including a firefighter, with 65 people still unaccounted for. Eighty people were injured, 22 of whom have been released from hospital.
Families of the missing expressed frustration and grief. Qasir Khan said his wife, daughter-in-law, and her mother were among those still unaccounted for. “The bodies will come out in pieces from here. No one will be able to recognise them,” he said, blaming delays in the rescue effort for failing to save more lives.
Shopowners surveyed outside the wrecked mall described the disaster as devastating. Yasmeen Bano, whose store was destroyed, said, “We’ve been left high and dry, reduced to zero; 20 years of hard work, all gone.”
Protests erupted as Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab visited the site Sunday night, with crowds chanting slogans against the government and the fire department’s response time. Kosar Bano said six family members had visited the mall to shop for a wedding. “The only hope we have is how many hands we will find, how many fingers we will find, and how many legs we will find,” she said.
Authorities received the first emergency call at 10:38 p.m. Saturday reporting flames in ground-floor shops. By the time firefighters arrived, the fire had spread to the upper floors. Thick smoke filled the building, hampering rescue efforts, officials said.
Shah acknowledged faults in the response but said the cause of the fire remained under investigation. Provincial police chief Javed Alam Odho said an electrical fault might have triggered the blaze, though Shah cautioned that the exact reason was still unconfirmed.
The fire at Gul Plaza is likely Karachi’s largest since 2012, when a garment factory fire killed more than 260 people. Authorities said an inquiry into the disaster will be conducted, and those responsible will be held accountable.
