At Least 14 Dead in Karachi Mall Blaze, Rescue Teams Hunt for Survivors

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Karachi: Firefighters and rescue teams in Pakistan’s largest city continued search operations on Monday after a massive fire gutted the historic Gul Plaza shopping mall, leaving at least 14 people dead and more than 60 feared missing.

The fire broke out late Saturday night at the multi-storey Gul Plaza, located on M A Jinnah Road in Karachi’s busy Saddar commercial area, and burned for over 24 hours, severely hampering rescue efforts in the densely populated district.

Rescue officials said six bodies were recovered shortly after the blaze erupted, with the victims believed to have died from suffocation. Dozens of injured people were rushed to nearby hospitals. However, the intensity of the fire initially prevented rescue teams from entering the building.

After the blaze was brought under control by Sunday night, rescuers moved into the damaged structure and recovered eight more bodies from the rubble. Some of the victims were badly charred, according to Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer Abid Jalal.

“The fire has almost completely damaged the building, and both the front and rear portions have collapsed due to weakened pillars,” Jalal said, adding that search operations were continuing amid fears of further structural collapse.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, who visited the site on Monday, said up to 70 people were still believed to be trapped inside the building, describing the incident as a “national tragedy.” Police officials warned the death toll could rise as large sections of the mall remain inaccessible.

Authorities said the cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed, though an electrical short circuit is suspected. Gul Plaza, which housed around 1,200 wholesale and retail shops across multiple floors, has been a prominent commercial landmark since the early 1980s.

The tragedy has renewed concerns over fire safety standards in Karachi. A 2024 government audit found that only six out of 266 shopping malls and commercial buildings on major roads had adequate fire safety systems, with many lacking emergency exits and using substandard electrical wiring.

Karachi has witnessed several deadly fires in recent decades, including the 2012 Baldia Town garment factory blaze that killed at least 259 people.