- Rescue 1122 teams comb wreckage of gutted three-storey plaza, using thermal imaging and specialized tools
- 67 bodies recovered so far, only seven formally identified, highlighting fire’s devastating scale: Police
- Preliminary probe finds blaze started in ground-floor artificial flower shop due to children playing with matches
- Families criticize slow pace of recovery, stage protests demanding faster retrieval of loved ones
- SBCA initiates citywide fire safety assessments, issues notices for 266 buildings with deficient emergency systems
KARACHI: Rescue teams continued combing through the wreckage of Karachi’s Gul Plaza, as the death toll from the devastating fire climbed to 67, while relatives of the missing expressed frustration over the slow pace of recovery operations.
According to Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed, only seven of the 67 victims had been formally identified so far. Earlier in the day, she had confirmed the deaths of 50 people. A separate statement from the Sindh Health Department also confirmed that post-mortem examinations of all 67 bodies had been conducted.
The updated toll follows the grim discovery of 30 bodies from a single shop on the mezzanine floor, highlighting the severity of the blaze. The ground-plus-three-story plaza, housing 1,200 shops over 8,000 square yards, partially collapsed due to the fire, complicating rescue efforts.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told media that urban search and rescue teams were using thermal imaging cameras (TICs) and specialized tools to detect heat signatures and locate victims. “The cameras detected temperatures up to 1,500°C, and in some areas, the fire’s intensity was even higher, which has affected the remains of victims,” he said.
Khan noted that the operation was unprecedented in recent memory, with cooling and safety measures ongoing for the past three days. “The building’s dilapidated structure requires extreme caution. There is no way inside the premises, so rescuers have been cutting through walls, which triggers vibrations. Work that should take 10–20 minutes sometimes takes one to two hours,” he explained.
A team from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) also inspected the plaza, with plans to demolish the building after the search operation is complete, Khan added.
Preliminary findings from the committee investigating the fire suggest that it originated in a ground-floor shop selling artificial flowers, allegedly due to negligence by the shop owner. Sources said the owner’s two minor sons were playing inside the shop and lit a match, leaving it unattended, which ignited the combustible materials and sparked the blaze. The shop owner has reportedly been traced and interviewed by investigators.
Relatives voice anguish over slow recovery
Families of the missing have expressed deep frustration at the sluggish pace of the rescue operation.
Faraz Ali, whose father and 26-year-old brother were trapped in the plaza, told AFP, “We just want the bodies recovered and handed over to their rightful families. That is all, so that we may find some comfort and say our final goodbye.”
Protesters gathered outside Gul Plaza on Thursday, criticizing the slow operations. “Almost six days have passed, yet our loved ones remain under the rubble,” one family member said.
SBCA launches citywide fire safety assessments
Meanwhile, the SBCA has launched fire safety inspections across Karachi on the directives of Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah.
A statement from SBCA Director General Muzammil Halepoto said that 35 residential and commercial buildings had already been assessed for fire safety compliance. The inspections evaluated the functionality of firefighting and emergency systems, and notices for corrective measures were issued to building owners with deficiencies.
Halepoto also confirmed that fire safety notices had previously been issued for 266 buildings, including those covered under a Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) survey. He recalled that the KMC had issued directives in January 2024, instructing builders, owners, and unions to ensure robust fire safety measures.
The SBCA DG warned that buildings failing to meet requirements within the specified time would be sealed. He emphasized that inspections would continue across the city to strengthen emergency preparedness and prevent similar tragedies.
