The harrowing toll from the Gul Plaza mall fire in Karachi now stands at 60 fatalities, a figure released by police and amplified by local outlets. Shockingly, 30 of those perished in a solitary crockery store on the mezzanine, where they had apparently locked themselves to evade the deadly blaze.
As DIG Syed Asad Raza explained, the discovery underscores the panic that gripped shoppers during the 24-plus-hour conflagration. This sprawling complex, encompassing 1,200 outlets across 8,000 square yards in a multi-story setup, suffered partial collapse, hindering operations.
Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso of South District insisted on exhaustive searches before any demolition, with 86 people listed missing initially. Updates show 39 pinpointed inside the mall, 11 bodies identified, and 17 pending. ‘Full clarity first, then demolition,’ he affirmed to reporters.
Dubbed the largest fire in a decade by Dawn, the incident in Karachi’s old city core challenged firefighters relentlessly. Adjacent Rimpa Plaza felt the heat too, according to Sindh Building Control Authority. The tragedy spotlights urgent needs for better fire escapes, sprinklers, and compliance in Pakistan’s packed markets.