Search and rescue operation at Karachi’s Gul Plaza continued on Thursday after a devastating fire claimed over 60 lives. The blaze, which erupted on Saturday night, devastated the shopping complex located on MA Jinnah Road.
Although firefighters initially doused the fire after more than 24 hours on Sunday, flames reignited from smouldering debris on Monday, forcing a resumption of firefighting efforts.
Extent of the Damage
Gul Plaza was a ground-plus-three-storey building housing 1,200 shops over an area of 8,000 square yards. Parts of the building collapsed due to the intensity of the fire.
Rescue 1122’s urban search and rescue teams are working tirelessly, using thermal imaging cameras, specialized cutters, and heavy-duty tools to comb through the debris for survivors and human remains.
DNA Testing for Victims
Relatives of missing individuals have expressed concerns over the slow pace of rescue operations. According to Police Surgeon Sumaiya Syed, over 50 families have provided DNA samples to help identify bodies recovered from the rubble.
“We will hand over the remains to families once DNA samples are matched,” she told journalists outside the Civil Hospital Karachi mortuary.
Latest Recovery Updates
On Wednesday, rescue teams recovered at least 30 bodies from a gutted shop in the plaza. Karachi South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza reported that the shop, Dubai Crockery, located on the mezzanine floor, yielded the majority of the bodies.
Earlier in the day, three more bodies were found, increasing the death toll from 28 to 31. With the latest recoveries, officials estimate that the total number of casualties has reached 61.
Rescue operations are expected to continue as teams work through the wreckage to locate additional victims and recover human remains.