KARACHI: At least 61 people have been confirmed dead after a devastating fire tore through a major shopping complex in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city and commercial hub that hosts the country’s main seaport and financial markets, officials said on Thursday.
Rescue teams continued recovery operations at the fire-gutted building as families searched for missing relatives and authorities faced mounting scrutiny over long-standing safety lapses in the densely packed port city.
The blaze broke out late on Saturday at Gul Plaza, a large multi-storey shopping complex in Karachi’s commercial district.
The fire burned for more than 24 hours before it was brought under control, marking the city’s deadliest fire incident in over a decade.
Rescue workers pushed deeper, combing through unstable floors and collapsed sections as the search for victims entered a critical phase.
Officials said the confirmed death toll has risen sharply, with scores of bodies now recovered where people had taken refuge from the smoke. Authorities cautioned that the final number may still change, as dozens of people remain unaccounted for and several recovered remains await identification through DNA testing.
Rescue teams, equipped with breathing apparatus and heavy machinery, worked cautiously amid lingering heat, smoke and the risk of further collapse, sifting through charred debris, twisted metal and ash in areas that were previously inaccessible. Officials said operations were being carried out slowly to avoid endangering rescuers and to preserve human remains.
Despite days of recovery efforts, authorities warned that the tragedy may not yet be over, as families of the missing continued to gather outside the cordoned-off site, hoping for news while bracing for the worst.
Dozens still missing
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Syed Asad Raza told reporters that 30 bodies were recovered from a crockery shop on the mezzanine floor of the mall.
“The victims had locked themselves inside the shop in an attempt to save their lives,” he said.
Rescue officials said the bodies were found during an ongoing search operation and feared that more victims could still be trapped beneath debris in inaccessible parts of the building.
District South Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javed Nabi Khoso said 86 people were still reported missing following the inferno.
“The building will not be demolished as long as even one person remains missing,” he said, adding that demolition would only take place after the recovery operation was fully completed.
According to the DC, the last known location of 39 missing persons has been traced to Gul Plaza. Of the 60 bodies recovered so far, only 11 have been identified.
Damage hampers rescue
Rescue officials said many victims had been exposed to intense heat for three to four days, reducing bodies to ashes in several cases.
Teams are now mostly recovering small human remains rather than intact bodies.
Access to several sections of the building remains impossible due to the risk of further collapse.
“There is still smoke and heat in some parts,” DC Khoso said.
“Search operations are being conducted carefully, both manually and with machines. There is no haste because this is about human lives.”
Fire safety failures
Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Fire Officer Zafar Khan said the building had no emergency exits or fire extinguishers.
“When the fire was reported, three fire tenders were dispatched immediately,” he said. “However, the blaze was massive and the access road was very narrow.”
He added that the operation was further hampered by chaos, as shopkeepers demanded that firefighters prioritise their individual shops.
Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan said the cooling process had been completed and smoke had dissipated in accessible areas.
Searches of open and safe sections have been completed with no additional bodies found there.
Search operations in a collapsed section near the adjacent Rimpa Plaza are expected to resume in stages during daylight due to safety concerns.
Adjacent building sealed
Authorities have temporarily sealed Rimpa Plaza, which is adjacent to Gul Plaza, after parts of the collapsed structure fell onto its ramp and damaged its columns.
The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) said the affected portion of Rimpa Plaza was unsafe and posed a serious threat to human life and property.
The authority ordered the immediate closure of damaged sections and directed repairs under the supervision of a qualified structural engineer.
The SBCA warned that failure to comply would result in legal action under the Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979.
Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said a fire safety audit conducted in January 2024 identified 266 buildings in Karachi that failed to meet fire safety regulations.
The report was submitted to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on January 19, 2026.
The chief minister has since ordered the installation of fire alarms in all buildings across the province.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry announced a relief package of 10 million rupees ($36,000) for victims’ families.
Traders’ groups have renewed calls for urgent safety reforms in commercial markets.
