A catastrophic fire that raged for 13 grueling hours at the Gul Plaza shopping mall in Karachi, Pakistan, has claimed at least 14 lives, with rescue teams uncovering eight more bodies on Monday. Local reports indicate over 70 people remain unaccounted for, turning what began as a Saturday night inferno into a national tragedy.
Rescue operations continue unabated at the site, where firefighters battled intense flames and structural collapses. The mall, sprawling across two acres, lacked proper ventilation and fire safety measures, exacerbating the disaster. High temperatures inside prevented immediate entry, delaying searches and extractions.
Public outrage is mounting against Sindh provincial authorities and Karachi’s mayor for their sluggish response. Eyewitnesses reported repeated delays due to water shortages, while nearby fire stations and civic bodies failed to act promptly. ‘We kept hearing about a lack of water,’ one local told reporters, highlighting the operational hurdles.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori visited the site Monday, expressing grave concern over the missing, including a pregnant woman still trapped inside. ‘This is deeply alarming and a major tragedy,’ he stated, underscoring the incident’s gravity.
Fire safety operations have concluded, with teams from Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Town Municipal Corporation, and Pakistan Navy now clearing debris and cooling the structure. South DIG Syed Asad Raza confirmed these efforts, noting the building’s declaration as fully dilapidated by authorities.
Medical updates reveal 15 injured individuals treated at Civil Hospital Trauma Center, with 14 discharged. Two others recovered at Jinnah Hospital. The blaze caused several sections of the building to collapse under extreme heat on Sunday morning.
Fire chief Humayun Khan detailed the challenges: 20 fire tenders and four snorkels were deployed from three sides, yet the packed layout and poor infrastructure prolonged the fight. Sindh Building Control Authority will soon assess and decide on demolition.
This incident exposes glaring deficiencies in urban fire safety across Pakistan’s bustling cities, demanding urgent reforms to prevent future horrors.