Karachi to seal fire-hit Gul Plaza after search nears completion, deaths hit 74

DC says final inspection underway; 79 people still listed as missing

KARACHI:

The search operation at Karachi’s fire-hit Gul Plaza building is nearing completion and the structure will be sealed after a final inspection, Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso said on Monday, as the death toll rose to 74.

Personnel from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation have begun sealing work at the site, digging pits around the building to install iron shuttering. Officials said the structure will also be enclosed with green plastic netting as part of the process.

Speaking to reporters, Khoso said the nine-day search operation would conclude after a final review by a survey team later on Monday, after which the affected building would be sealed. He said the ground floor and mezzanine first floor of Gul Plaza had been fully cleared, while one section of the building remained to be searched.

Khoso said 79 people are still listed as missing. DNA samples have so far been collected from the families of 55 victims, while relatives of 13 individuals have been given until Monday to submit samples. Authorities will assume claims are incorrect if families fail to come forward, he added. Khoso said identification of 23 victims has been completed, including six identified on the first day, and noted that some families include multiple missing relatives.

Read: Sukkur resident killed in Gul Plaza laid to rest

He urged the public to avoid entering the building, saying the structure has been marked. The deputy commissioner said data related to 30 bodies has been sent to the government for compensation payments and that cheques will be distributed to heirs after verification.

Meanwhile, Police Surgeon Karachi Dr Sumaiya Syed said the DNA report was received from the Sindh Forensic DNA and Serology Laboratory, confirming at least one additional victim whose identity remains unknown. It brings the death toll in the Gul Plaza tragedy to 74.

She revealed that some of those who died in the incident had no available records or reference data, making identification difficult. “No reference DNA sample has been submitted for the matched profile,” she said, adding that this suggests some victims may have been individuals whose families or relatives have not yet come forward.

Dr Syed said it is also possible that the DNA belongs to someone from outside Karachi.

She urged families who have not yet submitted DNA samples to do so immediately. DNA samples can be submitted at the Police Surgeon Karachi office from 9am to 5pm.

Dr Syed clarified that DNA results cannot determine a person’s age or gender, and identification depends entirely on matching samples provided by relatives.

Separately, SSP City Arif Aziz said a case related to the Gul Plaza fire was registered a day earlier and statements are being recorded as part of the investigation. He said statements of six security guards and 10 other individuals have been recorded.

Read more: CM Murad orders fire safety audit of major buildings

Aziz said investigators are examining possible negligence and analysing extensive data recovered from a DVR found in the building, including why doors were closed and not opened after the fire broke out.