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Gul Plaza Fire: 30 More Bodies Recovered, Death Toll Rises to 61
Search operations at Karachi’s Gul Plaza uncover 30 more bodies from the mezzanine floor, raising the death toll to 61. Many remains are unidentifiable, complicating DNA verification.
ND
by News Desk
2026-01-21
Gul Plaza Fire: 30 More Bodies Recovered, Death Toll Rises to 61

Search and rescue operations are ongoing at the fire-ravaged Gul Plaza in Karachi, where 30 more bodies were recovered from the mezzanine floor, raising the death toll to 61, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

According to DIG South Asad Raza, shopkeepers had earlier informed authorities about the possible presence of people trapped on the mezzanine floor. All 30 bodies were found inside a crockery shop.

DIG Raza said debris removal work has been temporarily halted to ensure the safe recovery of bodies. He added that several people had locked themselves inside shops in an attempt to escape the fire, and the last mobile phone locations of some victims were traced to the same area.

The owner of the crockery shop, Salman, said that he and others had personally recovered the remains of 14 people from the shop earlier.

“Our shop is on the mezzanine floor. At the time of the incident, our cousins and employees were present there. A large number of women and other people were also inside,” he said.

Meanwhile, Police Surgeon Dr Samia said that the nature of recoveries has worsened, with human remains rather than intact bodies now being retrieved from the debris.

“So far, remains from two shops have been brought to Civil Hospital. We cannot confirm whether these remains belong to 21 individuals or fewer, as only fragments have been recovered,” she said.

Dr Samia added that the remains are in extremely poor condition, including broken bones and teeth, making DNA sampling difficult. This has created serious challenges in identifying victims and handing over remains to their families.

Authorities confirmed that three additional bodies have been identified, while 17 victims remain unidentified.

Addressing speculation surrounding the incident, Additional IG Karachi stated that no evidence of sabotage has been found so far, and clarified that reports regarding a missing dumper were false. He said a comprehensive investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Karachi said that Rampa Plaza, located nearby, sustained some damage but does not pose an immediate structural threat. However, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has declared parts of Rampa Plaza unsafe and issued notices to its administration and shop owners, banning the use of hazardous sections.

Regarding Gul Plaza, the SBCA has submitted seven files to the head of the investigation committee. These include documents related to illegal construction and pending court cases involving the building.

Investigations into the causes of the fire and accountability for the incident are continuing.
Tagged:

KarachiFire

FireIncident

KarachiTragedy

GulPlaza
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