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Gul Plaza Death Toll Climbs Past 60 as Search Operation Continues in Karachi
Search operations continue at Karachi’s Gul Plaza after a deadly inferno, with the death toll rising to 61. DNA identification underway as families await closure.
ND
by News Desk
2026-01-22
Gul Plaza Death Toll Climbs Past 60 as Search Operation Continues in Karachi

Search and rescue operations continued on Thursday at Karachi’s Gul Plaza, where a devastating fire has claimed more than 60 lives, as rescuers comb through debris for bodies and human remains amid growing anguish among families of the missing.

The fire erupted at the shopping plaza on Saturday night, engulfing the ground-plus-three-storey building located on MA Jinnah Road. Although the blaze was initially brought under control after more than 24 hours on Sunday, flames reignited on Monday due to smouldering debris, further complicating rescue efforts.

Parts of the building collapsed following the fire. Gul Plaza housed 1,200 shops spread across 8,000 square yards, making the rescue operation complex and hazardous.

Urban search and rescue teams of Rescue 1122 continued overnight operations using specialised equipment, including thermal imaging cameras and cutting tools, to detect remains trapped beneath the rubble.

Relatives of the missing criticised the slow pace of the operation, while some families staged a protest outside the plaza, demanding swift recovery of bodies.

Meanwhile, the Edhi Foundation confirmed that three additional bodies recovered from the rubble had been identified through DNA testing and handed over to their families. One of the deceased owned a gift shop in the plaza, while the other two were employees at different shops.

On Wednesday, police surgeon Dr Sumaiya Syed said that more than 50 families had submitted DNA samples at the Civil Hospital Karachi mortuary to help identify remains.

“We will hand over the remains once DNA matches are confirmed,” she said.

Faraz Ali, whose father and younger brother were trapped inside the mall, said families only want closure.
“At least let us see them one last time, in whatever condition they are, so that we may say our final goodbye,” he said.

In one of the most tragic developments, 30 bodies were recovered from a gutted crockery shop named Dubai Crockery on the mezzanine floor. Karachi South DIG Syed Asad Raza confirmed that the discovery raised the estimated death toll to 61.

Fire Safety Crackdown Begins

The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has launched fire safety assessments across Karachi on the directives of Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah.

SBCA said fire safety inspections had been conducted in 35 residential and commercial buildings, while fire safety notices were issued to 266 buildings citywide. Building owners failing to install proper firefighting systems within the stipulated time will face sealing action.

Inquiry Committee Visits Site

An inquiry committee formed by the Sindh government visited the site, led by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, along with Additional IG Azad Khan.

Naqvi said the inquiry was in its early stages and noted that adjacent Rimpa Plaza had also been affected but was not yet declared dangerous. He admitted that fire safety standards were not up to international norms.

Additional IG Azad Khan ruled out sabotage, dismissing reports of missing dumper trucks transporting debris as false.

KMC officials stated that firefighting and cooling operations were still ongoing in extremely high temperatures. They also rejected claims of delayed response, saying fire tenders were dispatched immediately after the fire was reported.

Officials revealed that exits were locked as the market was closing at the time of the fire, preventing people from escaping, while the rooftop access door was also locked — a factor that may have contributed to the high death toll.
Tagged:

Karachi

FireSafety

RescueOperation

GulPlazaFire
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