Gul Plaza fire toll rises to 28 as DNA testing begins to identify victims
The blaze, which broke out late Saturday night, has destroyed most parts of the building. PHOTO: REUTERS
The death toll from a massive fire at Gul Plaza shopping mall on MA Jinnah Road in Karachi rose to 28 on Tuesday.
The blaze, which broke out late Saturday night, has destroyed most parts of the building. Rescue teams are still removing debris and recovering bodies.
Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said DNA samples had been collected from 14 bodies, with the identification of six victims completed. She said one body was identified through a national identity card, while samples from 48 family members had been received to help establish the identities of the remaining victims.
All samples have been sent to the Sindh Forensic DNA Laboratory, while DNA testing will be carried out at the University of Karachi, she said. Additional human remains recovered from the site will be processed on Tuesday.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) City Arif Aziz told reporters that official confirmation of fatalities would only be issued after DNA matching and completion of all legal requirements. He said he could currently confirm 13 bodies for which the legal process had been completed.
The SSP said Gul Plaza had been sealed and no one was being allowed to enter the premises. He added that traders had been asked to provide names to identify goods being recovered from the site. So far, 12 names have been submitted.
All items recovered during the operation are being shifted to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation ground and will be returned to their owners after completion of the prescribed procedure, he said.
Separately, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said the Sindh Building Control Authority had started to take action based on the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s fire safety audit of various buildings.
Based on KMC’s fire safety audit of various buildings, SBCA has started to take action. Letter with a list of non compliant buildings has been sent to ABAD. Today visit of 6 buildings in Districts East & South is also being undertaken pic.twitter.com/Y0hx5IdywM
Sindh governor proposes relocating Gul Plaza traders
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori said he would write to the mayor of Karachi to propose the temporary relocation of traders affected by the Gul Plaza fire to a vacant parking plaza near Empress Market, as he assured the business community of full government cooperation and called for stricter enforcement of building safety laws.
Speaking to traders at the Governor House today, Tessori, referring to a proposal by Maulana Bashir Farooqui, said he would write to the mayor to suggest the temporary relocation of affected traders to a vacant parking plaza near Empress Market.
“With Bashir Bhai’s assistance, I will personally write to the mayor of Karachi to submit a proposal for temporarily shifting all those affected to the parking plaza building,” he said, adding that the facility was larger than Gul Plaza, which spans about 100,000 square feet, compared with the parking plaza’s 150,000 square feet.
The governor said the business community was currently 'nursing wounds to its livelihoods and lives,' stressing that it was the government’s responsibility to heal those wounds rather than 'rub salt into them.'
He said that instead of indulging in a blame game, there was a need to acknowledge past mistakes, make amends and compensate for shortcomings.
Raising questions over the management of Gul Plaza, the governor said the role of its administration over the years must be examined. “There are more than a thousand shops in a single plaza. There is an administrative setup and a president. We will have to sit down with that president as well and ask how day-to-day affairs were being run,” he remarked.
Addressing traders, Governor Tessori urged them to submit concrete proposals to the government outlining their needs. “Those who are running businesses and earning livelihoods should ask themselves why they did not prioritise their own safety first,” he said.
He stressed that lessons must be learned from the incident, adding that if any unsafe or potentially deadly commercial building exists or is being constructed in the city, it must be stopped.
The governor said he would not blame the Sindh government and welcomed the announcement of Rs10 million in compensation, but emphasised that such incidents must be prevented in the future. “The laws already exist, but there is no implementation,” he added.
Directing the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Governor Tessori instructed it to conduct an audit of all businesses, shops, malls and commercial buildings in the city. He said any shop or stall constructed in violation of approved building plans should be removed immediately.
“In every mall you visit, emergency exits have been occupied by chocolate and ice cream stalls that are not part of the approved layout. If panic breaks out tomorrow, where will people escape from?” he asked.
He said the chamber should take up the matter, adding that if institutions failed to follow directions thereafter, “we are here — we will work together.”
On the occasion, the governor also strongly criticised YouTubers and social media influencers, calling their conduct shameless. “It is the height of shamelessness to seek views over people’s deaths. Bodies are lying inside, families are crying outside, and these people are fighting among themselves for views. They should be ashamed,” he said.
Continuing rescue operation
According to Express News, rescue workers entered the building after about 40 hours and began search operations. The search on the first floor has been completed, and teams are now looking for survivors or bodies on the second floor. During the operation, the fire briefly flared up again on the second floor, prompting firefighters to spray water before bringing it under control.
A spokesperson for Rescue 1122 Sindh said teams have accessed most parts of the building and search and rescue operations are ongoing. Due to darkness inside the mall, rescuers are using torches to look for people. Human body parts have been found inside, and the recovery of bodies is continuing.
Wahab visited the site late at night to oversee the rescue operation. He directed authorities to complete the operation at all costs and speed up efforts to locate victims. “All departments of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation will remain on alert until all missing persons are traced and the rescue operation is completed,” he said.
On the mayor’s instructions, additional heavy machinery was brought in. Authorities have begun removing vehicles from the roof using cranes. Officials said 32 vehicles have so far been safely brought down, including 16 cars, four Suzuki vans, 12 motorcycles and one rickshaw. The vehicles were returned to their owners in safe condition.
Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi told reporters that 26 bodies have been recovered, 13 of which have been identified. DNA tests will be conducted to identify the remaining bodies. He said reports of 75 missing persons have been formally registered so far.
“The intensity of the fire was extremely high. I have never seen such a fire in my life,” Naqvi said. He added that an inquiry committee has started investigations and evidence is being collected. “Our focus right now is the rescue operation. If any criminal negligence is found, strict action will be taken,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khosa said the Sindh Building Control Authority will decide whether the building should be demolished after the rescue operation is completed. He said debris removal has started and families of more than 70 missing people have approached the district administration. Damage assessment will be carried out later on the provincial government's instructions.
Authorities also stopped a shopkeeper who brought an excavator and drilling machine to reach his shop. Shopkeeper Rehmatullah said he aimed to create a path to his shop, where his two nephews, a guest from Quetta and employees were present. Officials said drilling could endanger the building’s structure and immediately removed the machine.
One survivor, Khalid, told Express News he managed to escape by feeling his way along the walls despite heavy smoke, but later lost consciousness and woke up in the hospital. “Those moments were like a struggle between life and death. There was smoke everywhere, people were screaming, then the power went out and nothing was visible,” he said. Khalid said several family members and workers were still inside, and he was waiting outside the plaza for news of them.
Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer Dr Abid Jalaluddin Sheikh said three search operations are underway simultaneously at five identified points. A special team is engaged in firefighting and cooling to keep the site safe, while heavy machinery is being used to clear debris. He said the building’s structure is severely damaged and there is a risk of collapse, making the operation slow and highly technical.
Chief Fire Officer Humayun Ahmed said the main fire has been completely extinguished and cooling work is ongoing. Earlier, firefighters had suspended operations at the rear of the building after hearing cracking sounds, citing fears of collapse.
The fire erupted at around 10:15 pm on Saturday at the well-known shopping centre. Despite the arrival of multiple fire engines, the blaze continued to spread, causing parts of the building to collapse.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi sent a condolence letter to Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah expressing grief over the incident and solidarity with the victims and provincial government.
"I also wish to convey my sympathies to the Government of Sindh, which is confronted with the difficult task of responding to the aftermath of this tragedy. At moments like these, the sorrow of one province is felt by the entire nation, and the people and Government of KP stand with the people and Government of Sindh in solidarity and compassion," he said.
میں کراچی کے علاقے ایم اے جناح روڈ پر واقع گل پلازہ میں 17 جنوری 2026 کو پیش آنے والے افسوسناک آتشزدگی کے واقعے پر گہرے رنج و غم کا اظہار کرتا ہوں۔
اس المناک سانحے میں قیمتی انسانی جانوں کے ضیاع پر مجھے دلی صدمہ پہنچا ہے۔ میں جاں بحق افراد کے لواحقین سے دلی تعزیت اور ہمدردی کا… pic.twitter.com/kyNibhcIZXThe United States Consulate General in Karachi also expressed deep condolences to the people of Karachi and the families of those who lost their lives in the Gul Plaza fire.
In a statement, Consul General Charles Goodman praised the courage and dedication of first responders who worked tirelessly under difficult conditions and said the United States stood in solidarity with Pakistan during the period of mourning and recovery, while hoping for the swift recovery of the injured and those still missing.
The Chinese Consulate General in Karachi also expressed its condolences over the loss of lives and extended sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured.
The Chinese Consulate General in Karachi expresses the deepest condolences over the lives lost in the saddening Gul Plaza fire accident in Karachi city, and extend sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured.
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