KARACHI: The death toll from the devastating fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza shopping centre rose to 26 on Monday after rescue teams recovered two more bodies, including that of a child, as anger mounted over safety lapses and the pace of rescue operations.
According to a help desk established by the Sindh government, the number of missing persons has climbed to 76 after three additional names were added. Police officials, however, said figures were fluctuating as identification and tracing continued.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Asad Raza confirmed that one of the newly identified victims was Tanveer Ahmed Khan, a resident of Korangi 4 who worked as a salesman at Gul Plaza. His identification was verified through an identity card after he had earlier been listed among the missing.
An information desk has been set up outside the Civil Hospital Karachi morgue, where families of missing persons are providing details such as clothing, physical characteristics and birthmarks. Authorities are also collecting blood samples from relatives to assist with DNA identification.
Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said DNA samples had so far been taken from seven bodies, while samples from 38 relatives had been collected. She noted that identification remained difficult in several cases due to the severely burned condition of the bodies and urged families of missing persons to submit DNA samples.
Fire brigade officials said rescue operations on the first floor of the building had been completed and teams had entered the second floor. However, they later confirmed that the fire reignited on the third floor, temporarily hampering rescue and firefighting efforts.
DIG Raza said six bodies had so far been formally identified, while others would only be identified after DNA testing. He added that the last known location of 32 missing individuals was traced to Gul Plaza and that the surrounding area, including Rimpa Plaza, was under control.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab visited the site and was briefed by the District South deputy commissioner and the chief fire officer. He said 18 bodies had been identified so far, while 65 people were still reported missing at that stage.
Large crowds gathered near the damaged building, with many attempting to enter the premises and staging protests demanding justice for the victims. Authorities deployed additional police to disperse the crowd, warning that several pillars of the fire-damaged structure had weakened and could collapse at any time.
The fire broke out late Saturday night at the multi-storey Gul Plaza shopping centre in Karachi’s business district and burned for more than 24 hours, severely complicating rescue operations in the densely populated area. Firefighters later moved to cooling and debris-clearing, amid fears that more victims could still be trapped inside.
Fire officials said poor ventilation inside the building, which houses more than 1,200 shops, caused thick smoke to engulf the structure and delayed access to trapped individuals. Parts of the building collapsed, prompting criticism over alleged shortcomings in emergency response.
DIG Raza earlier confirmed at least 14 deaths, while rescue officials said five bodies recovered were beyond visual identification. Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassanul Haseeb Khan told Reuters that by the time teams arrived, the fire had already spread from the ground floor to upper levels and nearly the entire building was engulfed.
The deceased include Kashif, Faraz, Muhammad Aamir, Furqan and two unidentified persons. Those injured included Haseeb, Waseem, Daniyal, Sadiq, Hamza, Rahim, Fahad, Jawad, Ayan, Abdullah, Usman, Zain and Nadir, though police later said all injured had been discharged from hospitals.
Karachi Additional Inspector General of Police Azad Khan said more bodies could still be recovered from the site, adding that no evidence of sabotage had been found so far.
Fire brigade officials said the blaze reignited in multiple sections of the building on Monday, forcing a temporary pause in rescue work, which will resume after the fire is fully extinguished.
Authorities said families of at least 59 missing individuals had contacted police. Mobile phone data of missing persons was also being analysed, with 26 numbers traced to the incident site so far.
Chief Fire Officer said foam had been used from the first day and that about 90 per cent of the fire had been controlled, though goods stored inside were still burning. Fire Officer Zafar Khan said the building’s condition was unsafe, limiting the time rescuers could spend inside.
Officials said the fire originated at 10:14pm on Saturday in a shop selling artificial flowers and pots. Rescue 1122 was informed at 10:38pm, while the first fire tenders reached the site at 10:57pm. Narrow entrances, smoke-filled exits and water shortages hampered operations, with water bowsers reportedly stuck near Guru Mandir due to ongoing construction work.
At the site, 12 fire tenders, six water bowsers and two snorkels remain deployed.
Traders strongly criticised the government response. All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran Sindh president Jawaid Qureshi accused authorities of incompetence, saying rescue operations were still incomplete after more than 34 hours. He said traders had suffered massive financial and human losses, adding that goods worth billions of rupees had been destroyed.
Sindh Traders Association leader Atiq Mir also called for better-equipped fire services to deal with large-scale fires.
The Sindh government has set up multiple helplines to provide information and receive complaints. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah visited the site on Sunday evening, expressing grief over the loss of life and economic damage. He said 58 to 60 people were still missing and pledged transparent compensation for those affected.
Sindh government spokesperson Sadia Javed acknowledged water shortages caused by Green Line BRT construction on MA Jinnah Road but said emergency measures were later taken. She admitted many Old City buildings lacked emergency exits and said action would be taken against those responsible after a high-level meeting convened by the chief minister.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif separately spoke to the Sindh chief minister to convey condolences. President Zardari called for full mobilisation of resources, praised firefighter Furqan Shaukat who lost his life battling the blaze, and recommended him for a civil award. He also stressed stricter enforcement of fire safety laws.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured full federal support and underscored the need for a coordinated fire control system in densely populated urban areas, expressing solidarity with the victims and the Sindh government.
