The rescue and search operation at Gul Plaza entered its sixth day on Thursday as teams continued efforts to locate 88 people still missing after the deadly fire.
A day earlier, the death toll rose to 60 after rescuers recovered 30 charred bodies from a single crockery shop inside the plaza. Teams made the discovery after reaching the mezzanine floor, following a temporary halt in operations on the first and second floors.
Officials identified Shop No. 144 with the help of a shopkeeper who witnessed people entering the premises during the incident. According to officials, victims sought shelter inside the shop after a stampede broke out in the mall during the early moments of the fire.
The Missing Persons Cell of Karachi South confirmed that authorities have identified 15 additional bodies. The deceased include Mohammad Shehroz, Misbah, Maryam, Kashif, Aamir, Faraz, Farooq, Farqan, Mohammad Ali, Tanveer, Mohammad Rizwan, Churchill Masih, Sarfraz Noor, Mohammad Saad, and Mohammad Usman.
The fire at Gul Plaza on MA Jinnah Road has emerged as one of the deadliest incidents in Karachi over the past decade.
Precautionary Power Cut
Gul Plaza Traders’ Association President Tanveer Pasta rejected reports claiming that most exits closed during the fire. Speaking to the media, he said all main entrances, the emergency ramp, and the mosque gate remained open.
Pasta added that authorities cut electricity to the complex as a precaution. He said the power shutdown helped people escape the building safely.
Read: Gul Plaza Fire Death Toll Rises to 60 as 30 Bodies Found in Mezzanine Shop
Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 officer Muhammad Saleem said teams are creating access paths to reach people believed to be trapped under the rubble. He confirmed search operations continue at several locations inside the plaza.
District South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso said post-mortem examinations of 48 bodies have finished. He added that teams continue searching for bodies feared buried beneath debris. Khoso said officials temporarily halted debris removal using heavy machinery due to the risk of structural collapse. He confirmed rescuers re-entered the building to reassess conditions.
The deputy commissioner said teams cannot search collapsed sections until crews safely clear debris. He added that authorities will resume operations in those areas once conditions allow.
Khoso also confirmed that teams collect DNA samples from bodies and family members. He noted identification remains difficult in some cases due to the condition of recovered remains. Authorities launched an investigation into reports that the building’s gates had closed. Officials recorded statements from several individuals as part of the inquiry.
According to officials, CCTV footage shows the fire broke out at 10:07 pm on Saturday, January 17, at the rear of the shopping centre, which housed more than 1,200 shops. Ambulances arrived at the site around 10:12 pm.
Flames became visible on the front side of the building along MA Jinnah Road at 10:18 pm. Officials said the fire spread from the back to the front of the plaza within 11 minutes. Firefighters brought the blaze under control after 39 hours of continuous efforts. So far, authorities have recovered 60 bodies from the site.
The recovery of burnt bodies and human remains has left families of missing individuals in deep distress. The Gul Plaza inferno adds to a troubling pattern. Over the past decade, Karachi has witnessed several major fires in malls, markets, and factories, resulting in heavy loss of life and property.
Official records show that Karachi reported nearly 2,400 fire incidents in 2025 alone, ranging from minor blazes to large-scale disasters.
