The death toll from a fire that engulfed the Gul Plaza shopping mall in Karachi over the weekend has risen to at least 14, as authorities continue searching for more than 50 missing people.
South Deputy Inspector General of Police Syed Asad Raza told the Dawn newspaper on Monday that eight additional bodies had been recovered since Sunday evening, raising the total from six to 14.
Police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed confirmed that five bodies were brought to a local hospital. Meanwhile, authorities are using mobile phone data to trace between 54 and 59 missing individuals and have contacted families to collect information, reports Al-Jazeera.
Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and the capital of the southern Sindh province, has been shaken by the disaster. Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, who visited the site, described the situation as a “major tragedy,” saying that reports of “more than 70 missing persons are extremely alarming” and that the incident has “turned into a national tragedy.”
The fire erupted late Saturday at the densely packed commercial complex. Firefighters brought the blaze under control after roughly 36 hours, allowing rescue teams to enter and evacuate those trapped inside. Officials warned that the building remains extremely unstable and could collapse at any moment.
Later on Monday, rescue chief operating officer Abid Jalal reported that firefighting efforts had resumed as flames continued to flare in part of the mall.
Authorities initially suspected an electrical short circuit in one of the shops, but the exact cause remains under investigation.
Shopkeepers and residents criticized the delayed response and shortages of water and equipment, claiming that decades of livelihoods have been destroyed.
Karachi has a long history of deadly fires, often linked to poor safety standards and illegal construction. In November 2023, a fire at another shopping mall killed 10 people, while a 2012 garments factory fire claimed 260 lives.
