KARACHI (MNN); The death toll from the devastating fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza is feared to have risen sharply after rescuers recovered at least 30 bodies from a burnt shop while clearing debris on Wednesday.
Karachi South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza said the bodies were found inside a shop named “Dubai Crockery” on the mezzanine floor of the plaza. Earlier in the day, three additional bodies had been recovered, taking the provisional count to over 30, while officials now estimate that the overall death toll could reach around 61. He cautioned that the final figure would only be confirmed after DNA analysis.
According to the DIG, relatives of missing persons and shopkeepers had earlier warned that a large number of people might be trapped inside the shop. He said victims believed the fire would be brought under control and chose to wait inside, but eventually died due to suffocation.
Raza added that initial investigations had not found any evidence of sabotage, despite a visit by a bomb disposal squad to the site. A local resident told reporters that the shop had announced a wedding-season sale and remained open until late night, beyond its usual closing time.
The fire broke out late Saturday night at the plaza on MA Jinnah Road. Although flames were extinguished after more than 24 hours, firefighting had to resume on Monday due to reignition. Parts of the three-storey building collapsed during the blaze.
An inquiry committee formed by the Sindh government visited the site, with Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi stating that the probe was at an early stage and would examine all aspects of the incident. Officials noted serious deficiencies in fire safety arrangements. Authorities also confirmed that an adjacent building, Rimpa Plaza, sustained structural damage due to prolonged heat exposure.
Meanwhile, the Sindh Building Control Authority said all official records of Gul Plaza were available and rejected claims of missing documentation, adding that most emergency exits were found closed at the time of the fire.
