Gul Plaza: 30 Bodies Found in One Shop, Toll Mounts

KARACHI-(Special Correspondent/Web Desk)-The death toll in Karachi’s Gul Plaza inferno surged to 60 after 30 bodies were recovered from a single shop of the multi-story building on Wednesday.

Speaking to media, South DIG Syed Asad Raza said that 30 bodies were recovered from a shop on the mezzanine floor of the shopping mall.

These people locked themselves in the crockery shop to save their lives, he added.

Suleman, owner of the crockery shop, said that they recovered 14 bodies from his shop, adding that his cousins, employees, and customers were inside the shop when the incident occurred.

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed, however, said that remains of 21 bodies from two shops were brought to the Civil Hospital, adding: We cannot yet confirm whether these are 21 bodies or remains of more individuals.”

“Since this morning, only remains of bodies have been brought to the Civil Hospital,” she added.

Meanwhile, District South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso said that the building would not be demolished as long as even one person remains missing.

Speaking to the media, DC Khoso said that 86 people more missing in the aftermath of the blaze and added, “when everything is complete, the entire building will be demolished”.

The official noted that location of 39 missing people were traced back to the shopping centre, while 17 bodies recovered from the site are yet to be identified. The DC said 11 bodies had been identified so far.

The search and rescue operation at Karachi’s Gul Plaza entered its fifth day on Wednesday as the death toll from the massive blaze rose to 30, while dozens of people were still reported missing. District South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso said the building would not be demolished until the search for every missing person was completed.

Speaking to the media, the deputy commissioner said that 85 people were initially reported missing after the fire, adding that the structure would only be demolished once all rescue and recovery efforts were concluded. He said the whereabouts of 39 missing individuals had been traced to the shopping centre, while 17 bodies recovered from the site had yet to be identified. According to the administration, 11 bodies have so far been identified.

The fire, described as the port city’s biggest in more than a decade, broke out late on Saturday at Gul Plaza, a multi-storey commercial complex housing around 1,200 shops and spread over an area larger than a football field. The blaze continued for over 24 hours before firefighters were able to bring it under control.

Karachi mall fire causes $18 million losses, rescue continues

Providing details of the ongoing operation, DC Khoso said that several areas of the building remained inaccessible due to structural damage, smoke and extreme heat. Rescue work was being carried out both manually and with the help of heavy machinery, while debris from collapsed sections was being carefully removed. He said the cooling process was still underway and that search efforts had so far been limited to areas deemed safe for rescuers.

“There is no haste in the operation as human lives are involved, and all technical aspects are being taken into account,” he said, adding that efforts were being made to identify the recovered bodies at the earliest. He also noted that some names on the list of missing persons were repeated and were being verified.

Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Fire Officer Zafar Khan told the media that Gul Plaza lacked basic fire safety measures, including emergency exits and fire extinguishers. He said that three fire tenders were dispatched immediately after the incident was reported, but the scale of the fire and the narrow access roads hampered firefighting efforts. He added that chaos at the site, with shopkeepers demanding priority for their own shops, also affected rescue work.

According to the fire officer, one portion of the building has been cleared while two sections remain to be searched. Debris from the collapsed parts will also be examined for possible victims buried underneath.

Meanwhile, the administration has temporarily sealed the adjacent Rimpa Plaza after it was affected by the collapse of parts of Gul Plaza. DC Khoso said the building would only be declared safe or unsafe after a detailed report by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA). The authority has sought the building’s approved map and other relevant documents.

In a notice issued to Rimpa Plaza’s management, the SBCA stated that debris from the collapsed structure of Gul Plaza had damaged structural columns of the neighbouring building, rendering parts of it unsafe and dangerous. The authority directed the immediate closure of the affected areas and ordered that all unsafe structural elements be removed and repaired under the supervision of a qualified structural engineer. It warned that no portion of the building could be used until it was officially declared safe, cautioning that legal action would be taken under the Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979, in case of non-compliance.

Separately, Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said that a fire safety audit of buildings in Karachi, conducted in January 2024, had been submitted to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on January 19, 2026. The audit, carried out by the Fire Department and KMC on the directions of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, identified 266 buildings that failed to meet fire safety requirements.

The minister said the chief minister had expressed displeasure over the delay in submitting the report and had directed the installation of fire alarms in all buildings. He added that the government was in close coordination with the Association of Builders and Developers to address fire safety concerns across the city.KARACHI: The search and rescue operation at Karachi’s Gul Plaza entered its fifth day on Wednesday as the death toll from the massive blaze rose to 30, while dozens of people were still reported missing. District South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso said the building would not be demolished until the search for every missing person was completed.

Speaking to the media, the deputy commissioner said that 85 people were initially reported missing after the fire, adding that the structure would only be demolished once all rescue and recovery efforts were concluded. He said the whereabouts of 39 missing individuals had been traced to the shopping centre, while 17 bodies recovered from the site had yet to be identified. According to the administration, 11 bodies have so far been identified.

The fire, described as the port city’s biggest in more than a decade, broke out late on Saturday at Gul Plaza, a multi-storey commercial complex housing around 1,200 shops and spread over an area larger than a football field. The blaze continued for over 24 hours before firefighters were able to bring it under control.

Providing details of the ongoing operation, DC Khoso said that several areas of the building remained inaccessible due to structural damage, smoke and extreme heat. Rescue work was being carried out both manually and with the help of heavy machinery, while debris from collapsed sections was being carefully removed. He said the cooling process was still underway and that search efforts had so far been limited to areas deemed safe for rescuers.

“There is no haste in the operation as human lives are involved, and all technical aspects are being taken into account,” he said, adding that efforts were being made to identify the recovered bodies at the earliest. He also noted that some names on the list of missing persons were repeated and were being verified.

Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Fire Officer Zafar Khan told the media that Gul Plaza lacked basic fire safety measures, including emergency exits and fire extinguishers. He said that three fire tenders were dispatched immediately after the incident was reported, but the scale of the fire and the narrow access roads hampered firefighting efforts. He added that chaos at the site, with shopkeepers demanding priority for their own shops, also affected rescue work.

According to the fire officer, one portion of the building has been cleared while two sections remain to be searched. Debris from the collapsed parts will also be examined for possible victims buried underneath.

Meanwhile, the administration has temporarily sealed the adjacent Rimpa Plaza after it was affected by the collapse of parts of Gul Plaza. DC Khoso said the building would only be declared safe or unsafe after a detailed report by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA). The authority has sought the building’s approved map and other relevant documents.

In a notice issued to Rimpa Plaza’s management, the SBCA stated that debris from the collapsed structure of Gul Plaza had damaged structural columns of the neighbouring building, rendering parts of it unsafe and dangerous. The authority directed the immediate closure of the affected areas and ordered that all unsafe structural elements be removed and repaired under the supervision of a qualified structural engineer. It warned that no portion of the building could be used until it was officially declared safe, cautioning that legal action would be taken under the Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979, in case of non-compliance.

Separately, Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said that a fire safety audit of buildings in Karachi, conducted in January 2024, had been submitted to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on January 19, 2026. The audit, carried out by the Fire Department and KMC on the directions of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, identified 266 buildings that failed to meet fire safety requirements.

The minister said the chief minister had expressed displeasure over the delay in submitting the report and had directed the installation of fire alarms in all buildings. He added that the government was in close coordination with the Association of Builders and Developers to address fire safety concerns across the city.