Karachi:The death toll from the devastating fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza shopping centre has climbed to 71, officials confirmed on Friday, after additional human remains were recovered from the debris of the burnt-out building.
Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed released the updated figures, stating that 16 victims have been identified so far, including nine through DNA testing. DNA samples from 49 individuals are currently being analyzed to establish identities.
The massive blaze broke out on the night of January 17 and took almost two days to fully extinguish. The fire left the ground-plus-three-storey commercial building severely damaged, with several sections collapsing due to intense heat.
Authorities cautioned that the final death count will only be confirmed once all recovered remains are identified, as rescue teams continue to retrieve bodies from various parts of the structure.
Search Operation in Final Phase
South Karachi Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso told reporters that the rescue and recovery operation had entered its final stage and was expected to conclude later today.
“A total of 77 people were reported missing, and the ongoing recovery work is being conducted under the supervision of the Sindh Building and Control Authority (SBCA),” he said.
Meanwhile, Sindh Rescue 1122 Director General Brigadier (retd) Wajid Sibghatullah Mahar said teams were still working in 10 to 15 per cent of the building that had previously been inaccessible.
“There are serious concerns about the ground floor, where the fire initially broke out. We are hopeful that more bodies may be found there,” Mahar told the media.
Fire Safety Failures Under Scrutiny
Defending the response of Rescue 1122, Mahar stated that the teams were equipped with modern firefighting and search technology, but by the time they reached the site, the blaze had already escalated into a third-degree fire.
He added that 15 to 20 people were successfully rescued during the initial stages of the incident.
“Either the building lacked a fire safety system, or it was not operational at the time,” Mahar said, noting that advanced detection tools had been used over the past three days to search for any possible survivors.
According to preliminary findings, the fire is believed to have originated in a flower shop and then spread rapidly through the building’s duct system. However, police are still investigating the exact cause and reasons behind the rapid spread of the flames.
CM Briefs Sindh Assembly
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah briefed the provincial assembly on the tragic incident during Friday’s session, which was also attended by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab.