Death toll in Gul Plaza blaze rises to 26 as rescue work continues
Affected shopkeepers are left stunned after witnessing scenes of destruction at Gul Plaza. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The death toll from the blaze in Karachi's Gul Plaza shopping centre rose to 26 on Monday as search operations resumed after the completion of cooling measures.
A statement from Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan said that the toll had risen to 26 after the discovery of two more bodies with recovery operations underway since the morning. The toll includes a firefighter while dozens still remain missing.
Smoke was seen rising from the third floor, where a fresh fire had broken out earlier in the day before being brought under control.
Authorities said the Jubilee area of the shopping centre suffered severe damage, with the entire front elevation collapsing.
The main search effort remains focused on the basement and ground floor, but access to these areas is still blocked by heavy debris, making rescue work extremely difficult.
Sadiq Tunio, in charge of the Karachi Water Board’s Hydrant Cell, said about 1.4 million gallons of water have so far been used to extinguish the fire. He said the water was supplied from seven different hydrants across Karachi.
Firefighters brought the massive blaze at the multi-storey shopping centre on MA Jinnah Road under control after about 36 hours. However, officials warned that the structure is now extremely unstable and could collapse at any time.
Speaking in an interview, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab put the number of those missing at 65.
The fire broke out late Saturday night and continued through Sunday, causing parts of the building to cave in. Fire officials said the main fire has been extinguished and cooling operations are underway, though flames were earlier seen on the ground and second floors at the rear of the building.
Chief Fire Officer Humayun Ahmed told the media by phone that the central fire had been put out. “The structure is badly damaged and unsafe. There is a serious risk of collapse, so firefighting has been stopped and only debris removal is underway,” he said.
Firefighters recovered body parts of five more people, including a child, from the affected building since Sunday night. Police and rescue teams are using mobile phone data to trace missing persons and have contacted families to collect details.
DIG South Asad Raza said police had obtained mobile numbers of 59 missing people and traced the locations of at least 26 near Gul Plaza. “Further scrutiny is underway,” he said, adding that a police helpline had been set up on the orders of the Sindh government.
Rescue officials said dozens of injured people were taken to hospitals after suffering from smoke inhalation or burns. Two firefighters, Irshad and Bilal, were injured and are being treated at PNS Shifa. Overall, around 30 people were injured, with patients shifted to the burns centre, trauma centre and Jinnah Hospital. Several were later discharged after first aid.
According to rescue authorities, those killed include Kashif, son of Younis, 40; Faraz, son of Abrar, 55; Mohammad Aamir, 30; and Furqan, son of Shaukat Ali, 25, along with several others whose identities have not yet been confirmed. Lists of injured and affected people have also been issued.
Edhi Foundation head Faisal Edhi said relatives of more than 55 missing people had contacted the organisation. “Firefighters are risking their lives to control the fire and rescue people,” he said, urging the public to cooperate with police and stay away from the building.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah visited the site and said authorities would try to provide maximum relief and compensate traders for their losses. He said the first fire tender reached the site at 10:27pm on Saturday, and about 26 fire tenders, four snorkels and 10 water bowsers took part in the operation. He confirmed that a KMC firefighter was among the dead.
“This was a basement, ground and three-storey building with more than 1,000 shops,” Shah said. “It is too early to determine the exact cause. Some say it started due to a short circuit in a shop with highly flammable material, which caused the fire to spread rapidly.”
Fire brigade officials said more than 20 vehicles from across the city joined the operation. The blaze was declared a third-degree fire and spread up to the third floor, with the basement market also affected. A firefighter was killed when part of the rear structure collapsed.
The Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) set up a help desk outside the Civil Hospital trauma centre to assist families and collect information on missing persons. CPLC officials said DNA testing would be used to identify unrecognisable bodies if needed.
Authorities said the cause of the fire would be investigated after the cooling process is complete. For now, the damaged shopping centre remains sealed off as rescue teams continue clearing debris amid fears that more people may still be trapped inside.
Sindh announces Rs10m compensation for each Gul Plaza fire victim
The chief minister later announced compensation of Rs10 million each for the families of those killed in the fire.
Addressing a press conference, the chief minister said the exact cause had not yet been determined, though preliminary assessments suggested a possible short circuit.
He said around 10% of the fire was still active and access inside the building remained impossible due to severe structural damage. He added that the provincial government had decided to immediately enforce the Fire Safety Audit 2024, which had reviewed 145 buildings.
گل پلازہ واقعے میں جاں بحق ہونے والے افراد کے لواحقین کو سندھ حکومت کی جانب سے ایک کروڑ روپے دیے جائیں گے، وزیراعلیٰ سندھ سید مراد علی شاہ pic.twitter.com/TjrYwekouT
CM Shah announced the formation of an inquiry committee, headed by the Karachi commissioner, to investigate the incident, adding that the Karachi deputy inspector general of police would assist the committee, while forensic support has been sought from a laboratory in Lahore. He said the inquiry was aimed at identifying failures and improving safety standards, not targeting individuals, but warned that action would be taken if evidence of negligence or sabotage emerged.
The chief minister said Gul Plaza housed around 1,200 shops and pledged that all affected traders would be rehabilitated. He announced that the damaged building would be rebuilt and said a committee would propose measures to provide affected shopkeepers with temporary or alternative spaces so businesses could resume as soon as possible.
The Sindh government also decided to conduct a forensic examination to determine the cause of the fire and to notify a fact-finding committee through the chief secretary.
The chief minister said the provincial leadership wanted the affected traders rehabilitated without delay and announced plans for long-term improvements in firefighting and building safety, including ensuring emergency exits and fire alarm systems in commercial buildings.
Mayor says 65 still missing
Speaking in an interview on show 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath' on a private news broadcaster, the Karachi mayor said the firefighting process was complete and entry points were created at three sites.
"We have a number of 65 people that is still missing and whose details we have received. There are reports of 77 from some place but I can confirm there are definitely 65," Wahab said, adding that out of them, 18 bodies were retrieved who had been identified while the process of identification was still underway for others through DNA testing.
Meanwhile, a list of missing persons at the office of the South deputy commissioner showed 81 missing individuals.
KCCI demands judicial inquiry
The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has demanded fair and transparent investigations into the deadly Gul Plaza fire and called for the formation of a judicial commission to determine responsibility for the tragedy.
KCCI President Rehan Hanif said a judicial commission should be set up to investigate the Gul Plaza incident so that key questions can be answered. “Were proper fire safety measures in place in the building? Were adequate emergency exits available? Did the fire brigade have the required capacity to control such a blaze?” he asked.
He also raised concerns about the safety and preparedness of firefighters. “Did the firefighters have the necessary protective kits and facilities to deal with a fire of this scale? A judicial commission can prepare answers to all these questions,” Hanif said.
The KCCI president further demanded the immediate establishment of a dedicated fund for the rehabilitation of Gul Plaza victims. He said such a fund would help compensate traders and other affected people for their losses and support their recovery after the disaster.
'Death toll may rise'
Speaking to the media, Karachi Police Chief and Additional Inspector General Azad Khan said no injured persons were currently undergoing treatment at hospitals but cautioned that the death toll might rise. He added that initial investigations found no evidence of sabotage.
Azad said the administration had submitted a report on the incident and warned that criminal cases would be registered if negligence is established.
He said the rescue operation was continuing with caution, adding that it was too early to give a timeframe for its completion. Officials warned that more bodies could be recovered as rescue efforts progress.
Authorities said investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
Sindh Assembly moved
Jamaat-e-Islami's Parliamentary Leader in the Sindh Assembly Muhammad Farooq submitted an adjournment motion over the Gul Plaza tragedy, demanding those responsible for negligence be held accountable.
Expressing deep grief over the fire that engulfed the plaza comprising 1,200 shops and claimed precious lives, Farooq said the tragedy had exposed Karachi's corrupt and dilapidated system.
The MPA raised questions over the performance of the fire brigade, adding that Karachi Building and Town Planning Regulations were not being implemented. He warned that as a result, more dangerous buildings are emerging in the city.
Petition filed in SHC
Meanwhile, a constitutional petition was filed in the Sindh High Court against the tragedy by Advocate Saleem Michael and others.
The petition named the Government of Sindh, Karachi commissioner, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the Sindh Building Control Authority and other departments as parties.
The petitioners sought orders to determine those responsible and take action against them, declaring the tragedy clear evidence of institutional incompetence. They also requested the court to direct the government to assess the losses and provide compensation to the affected.