KARACHI, JAN 18: At least six people have died and around 60 remain missing after a massive fire erupted at Karachi’s Gul Plaza, with firefighters battling the blaze for over 20 hours.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah visited the shopping mall on Sunday evening to review rescue and firefighting operations.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister expressed sorrow over the loss of precious lives and the economic impact of the incident. He said that around 58 to 60 people were still missing, adding that efforts were underway to rescue them.
The chief minister vowed that the government would compensate the affected people in a transparent manner.
The fire, at the shopping mall, which houses around 1,200 shops, reportedly broke out at a flower shop on Saturday and had yet to be extinguished more than 18 hours later.
Firefighters stated that the lack of ventilation and the closure of windows at the mall — which spans over 1.75 acres, roughly the size of a football field — has led to smoke filling the interior of the building, hindering rescue efforts.
Pakistan Navy, Rescue 1122, and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation machinery are battling the blaze, which erupted on the ground floor and spread to the third floor. Geo News reporters at the site said they heard parts of the building collapsing, raising fears that the entire structure could give way.
Officials said the third-degree fire has severely gutted the building, compromising its structure and preventing rescue personnel from entering.
A firefighter named Furqan, belonging to the Nazimabad Fire Office, was recovered from the rubble and brought to the Civil Hospital Trauma Centre.
As per the report presented to Sindh CM Shah by South District DC and Karachi commissioner, the fire broke out between 9:45pm to 10:15pm.
With more than 1,200 shops burnt, 60% to 70% of the blaze has been brought under control owing to the firefighting operation.
‘Four victims identified’
So far, six fatalities have been reported along with 22 wounded, all of whom were shifted to the Civil Hospital’s Burns Ward.
Rescue officials said the deceased included Kashif, Faraz, Muhammad Aamir, Furqan and two unidentified individuals
The injured included Haseeb, Waseem, Daniyal, Sadiq, Hamza, Rahim, Fahad, Jawad, Ayan, Abdullah, Usman, Zain and Nadir were among the wounded.
They added that the identities of four injured persons could not yet be ascertained, and efforts were underway to gather their details.
A total of 22 fire brigade vehicles, along with 10 water bowsers, four snorkels and 33 ambulances, took part in the rescue operation.
Reporters at the site said firefighters were continuously dousing the blaze — which erupted in an artificial flower shop on the ground floor — using snorkels, but it had yet to cool down.
Confirming the death toll while speaking to the media, Sindh Labour and Social Protection Minister Saeed Ghani said that there’s still a possibility that many people are inside the building.
“All efforts were made to control the fire in time, and many people were evacuated,” Ghani said as he urged the citizens to cooperate with the authorities.
The minister, while stressing the provision of fire extinguishing equipment in buildings, called for ensuring emergency exit routes.
‘Parts of building collapsed’
The chief fire officer has submitted a detailed report on the devastating fire, as rescue operations continue following the blaze that gutted the multi-storey market.
A KMC spokesperson said that information about the fire was received at 10:26pm and fire tenders reached the site within minutes, adding that the intensity required additional manpower.
According to officials, fire engines from 16 stations have been deployed, while the water board provided tankers and staff to support the operation.
The spokesperson said that several people were rescued safely during the operation; however, one firefighter, Furqan, lost his life while battling the flames.
Pakistan Navy firefighters also assisted civil authorities, deploying seven fire tenders, a fire bowser and a snorkel, with 80 personnel engaged alongside city services.
Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer Abid Jalal told Geo News that more than 150 firefighters were working at the site, saying around 75% of the fire had been controlled.
“The building is extremely dangerous. Parts of it have already collapsed, making internal rescue operations highly risky,” he added.
The rear portion of the building had already collapsed and now the front part has also come down, he said. “For the safety of our staff, a search operation will be conducted only after the fire is completely brought under control.”
In a briefing to senior officials, Chief Fire Officer Muhammad Humayun said the more than 1,500 shops in the building caught fire simultaneously.
There was no initial firefighting system or emergency access routes, he said, adding that the cause of the fire remained undetermined, though a short circuit or double phasing could not be ruled out.
Humayun described the incident as unprecedented in his 37-year career, noting that public crowding, rather than water availability, posed the biggest challenge during firefighting efforts.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Asad Raza said police had received reports of 38 missing individuals and information was being compiled to help trace them.
He confirmed that 22 injured people were currently under treatment at Civil Hospital Karachi.
Additional police personnel have been deployed around the shopping mall to maintain order and keep access routes clear for rescue teams, the DIG said.
DIG Raza noted that the cause of the fire would be determined after cooling and a formal investigation.
Helpline established
The government has established helpline to facilitate the public in light of the Gul Plaza blaze via collaboration between South Zone Police and the District South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso.
Information on Gul Plaza tragedy or missing persons should be reported to DC South, said Khoso.
The information can be given by reaching out at the cellphone numbers including 03135048048; 02199206372; and 02199205625.
Meanwhile, the citizens can seek information via helpline numbers 02199205670; 02199201196; and 02199205691.
The DC also said that 16 people were missing so far, and their families had contacted the authorities.
The shopping mall building has become dilapidated due to the blaze’s intensity. The ground and mezzanine floors have been completely burned, whereas the upper two floors are also on fire. The complex houses shops selling a wide range of items, including clothes, crockery, perfume, makeup, electronics and toys.
Speaking to Geo News, District South DC Khoso said that the fire has erupted again in the back of the first floor of the building.
“There are fears that people are on the first and mezzanine floors,” said the DC, adding that the rescue teams have not been able to reach these floors.
Noting that there is no way to exit in case of an emergency, the DC said that investigation is underway to find out why an emergency exit was not made in the building.
“We will check the map and other things with the relevant institutions.”
“It was directed to ensure fire extinguishers [in building], but they were not present in the building,” the official added.
Additionally, Karachi Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad, who was speaking to the media during a visit of the incident site, another portion of the shopping centre collapsed — reflecting the dire condition of the structure owing to the hours-long inferno
People still trapped
Meanwhile, Sindh Emergency Service Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer Dr Abid Jalaluddin Shaikh said that 20 fire tenders and four snorkels are taking part in firefighting operations from three sides of Gul Plaza.
Noting that all available technical equipment is being used to extinguish the fire as quickly as possible, the rescue official added that materials stored inside the plaza are making it difficult for rescue teams to control the blaze.
Fire brigade officials feared that several people were still trapped inside the mall.
“We cannot say at this stage how many people are still trapped inside the building,” the official added.
Shaikh added that a portion of the building’s rear side has collapsed, increasing the risk for both trapped individuals and rescue workers.
The presence of air conditioning shops in the building is creating additional challenges for firefighters, he said.
The blaze quickly spread inside the old building because of certain flammable material stored there, he said, confirming that due to the intense heat, a pillar of the building collapsed, raising fears that more parts of the structure could cave in.
Separately, revealing details of evacuation, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Asad Raza has said 25 people have been evacuated from the building so far.
Recurring blaze
Earlier, authorities had said that hours of firefighting efforts had stopped the blaze from spreading further, but it had nevertheless reached the third floor before being contained.
Soon after the fire brigade said the fire had been contained, conflagration again erupted with long flames coming out from the first floor.
Video footage showed flames engulfing several shops as firefighters worked to extinguish them.
The chief fire officer said that people trapped inside the shopping mall were evacuated with the help of snorkels.
The firefighting operation was temporarily paused in the early hours of Sunday before being resumed 15 minutes later.
A powerful explosion took place inside the premises after which the blaze further broke out, according to the chief fire officer, adding that the explosion was caused by gas leakage.
Sindh Rangers personnel, as per the spokesperson, are also taking part in rescue efforts alongside other emergency services.
The cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained.
CM orders probe
Reacting to the incident, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief and said that possible steps should be taken to protect people’s lives.
All possible assistance should be provided to affected traders and other people, the PM directed while ordering relevant agencies to work together in the rescue operation.
The PM also hailed martyred firefighter Furqan, saying that he sacrificed his life while saving the lives of the people.
President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed sorrow over the incident and conveyed condolences on the loss of precious lives.
No effort should be left unturned in providing the best medical facilities to the injured, the president said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of the incident, directing Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi to immediately inquire into the incident, find out the reasons behind the fire and submit a report.
Issuing directives for fire safety arrangements in the building to be checked, CM Shah ordered a strict implementation of fire safety laws.
“Fire safety audit should be conducted immediately in commercial buildings of Karachi,” the provincial chief executive stressed.
Talking to Geo News on Sunday, Sindh government spokesperson Sadia Javed said that dousing the blaze is the authorities’ top priority.
“Firefighters are having difficulty entering the building due to the intense heat,” she added.
“The fire spread very quickly, due to which it could not be controlled. There is no emergency exit arrangement in old buildings, the spokesperson noted.
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also expressed grief over the loss of life and property damage in the conflagration.
The PPP chief offered his condolences to the families of those who died in the blaze.
Sindh Interior Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar has called for alternative traffic routes to be established to ensure safe passage for residents.
He has also directed the SSP City to investigate the cause of the fire and instructed officials to prevent the flames from spreading further.
The minister underscored the need to keep access routes clear for fire brigade vehicles and emergency personnel.
Hours after the fire broke out, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab expressed his sorrow over the loss of life in the tragedy.
“We stand with the families of those who died during this difficult time,” Wahab said.
‘Fire fitness certificate’
Shedding light on the lack of safety measures and emergency exits, former chief fire officer Kazim Ali told Geo News that the people and authorities issuing “fire fitness certificates” must be held accountable.
He said that a fire fitness certificate does not translate into fire safety, and that traders and business owners need to take preventive measures themselves.
Urging the installation of sprinkler systems as a key fire-prevention feature, the expert said that fire extinguishers have a limited range, and that smoke in a fire acts as fuel, further spreading it.
The items being sold in Gul Plaza were mostly plastic (petroleum-based products), whose smoke, when burned, produces hydrogen cyanide — which, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), interferes with the normal use of oxygen by nearly every organ of the body and can be rapidly fatal upon exposure.
Traders’ decry govt negligence
The Sindh chapter of the All Pakistan Traders Association expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the Gul Plaza tragedy, calling it a devastating blow that has left several families shattered.
In a video statement, All Pakistan Traders Association-Sindh President Javed Qureshi said the incident was not an accident but the result of government negligence and the failure of an inadequate fire safety system. He added that despite the passage of several hours, more than 100 traders remained trapped inside Gul Plaza.
The trade body leader said delays by the fire brigade and a shortage of water significantly increased the loss of life. He stressed that those who lost their lives were not mere statistics but breadwinners and sources of support for their families. The association also lamented that years of hard work worth billions of rupees were reduced to ashes within moments.
Qureshi further criticised the absence of Sindh CM Shah at the site despite the scale of the human tragedy, saying it reflected official indifference. He also questioned the non-appearance of Karachi Mayor Wahab, calling it another sign of the government’s lack of seriousness.
He demanded immediate justice and relief for the affected families and traders, reaffirming that the organisation stands firmly with every family impacted by the Gul Plaza fire.
Earlier, while expressing concerns over the rescue efforts with Gul Plaza Traders’ Association President Tanveer Pasta telling Geo News that nearly 80 to 100 people are believed to be trapped inside the building after the deadly fire.
All customers exited the building, but staff and shopkeepers were still thought to be inside, said Pasta, adding that the building houses 1,200 shops and the fire has caused losses worth billions of rupees.
He criticised the response from senior government officials, saying neither the chief minister nor the mayor of Karachi contacted the traders. “Only Governor Sindh has come so far, no one else,” he said.
He claimed that no rescue personnel had yet entered the building, and that the fire continues to burn on three sides of the structure.
The fire reportedly started in a shop selling artificial flowers located on the ground floor, he added.
