Karachi : Rescue operations at the site of the deadly fire at Gul Plaza entered their sixth day on Thursday, with teams tirelessly sifting through unstable rubble and smoke-filled hallways, holding on to hope of finding survivors. The disaster, which has already claimed 61 lives, has left 88 people unaccounted for.
The situation took a devastating turn the day before, when 30 charred bodies were discovered in a crockery store located on the mezzanine level of the shopping center. The discovery brought the total number of confirmed deaths to 61. Rescuers had to temporarily halt their operations on the first and second floors due to the danger of the building’s structural collapse, but eventually, teams managed to reach the area, where they found the victims.
The store, numbered 144, was identified through the help of a local trader who reported seeing several individuals rush inside the shop in a desperate attempt to escape the chaos when the fire first broke out. Authorities believe that in a frantic rush for safety, many sought refuge in the store, where they tragically became trapped amid the chaos of a stampede.
So far, 15 of the recovered bodies have been identified by the Missing Persons Cell of the South District Deputy Commissioner’s office. The confirmed victims include Mohammad Shehroz, Misbah, Maryam, Kashif, Aamir, Faraz, Farooq, Farqan, Mohammad Ali, Tanveer, Mohammad Rizwan, Churchill Masih, Sarfraz Noor, Mohammad Saad, and Mohammad Usman.
The fire, which erupted at approximately 10:07 PM on Saturday, January 17, at the rear of the plaza, quickly spread throughout the building, becoming one of the deadliest fire incidents Karachi has seen in the last decade. The blaze reached the front of the complex by 10:18 PM, less than 20 minutes after it started, suggesting the fire traveled quickly through the structure. Firefighters fought the flames for 39 hours before finally managing to bring them under control.
Despite the tragic loss of life, there are differing accounts regarding the accessibility of the building’s exits during the fire. Tanveer Pasta, President of the Gul Plaza Traders’ Association, rejected claims that the majority of the market’s entry and exit points were blocked, insisting that the main entrances, an emergency ramp, and the mosque access remained operational. However, he acknowledged that the power had been cut off as a safety measure, which he believes helped prevent further deaths, as those attempting to flee would have been trapped without it.
Muhammad Saleem, a Rescue 1122 official, explained that teams have been cutting narrow paths through the debris to continue their search efforts. However, the use of heavy machinery has been halted temporarily out of concern for further collapse. District South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso reported that autopsies have been completed for 48 bodies so far, with DNA samples being collected for identification, as many of the remains were too damaged to identify easily.
The authorities are also investigating whether any gates or emergency exits were closed during the fire. As part of the inquiry, several statements have already been recorded, and CCTV footage is being reviewed to gather more details about the timeline and spread of the fire. Investigators are also reviewing the safety measures in place at the plaza, with an eye on potential violations that could have contributed to the tragedy.
As the search continues and the investigation progresses, officials are urging commercial buildings to adhere strictly to fire safety regulations to prevent future disasters of this scale.
