Islamabad, Pakistan — The death toll from a massive fire at Gul Plaza, a shopping mall in Pakistan’s Karachi, rose to 14 on Monday after rescuers recovered eight additional bodies from the site, according to local media reports. Search operations are continuing as more than 70 people remain unaccounted for.
The blaze broke out late Saturday night at the commercial complex and continued for several hours, raising questions over the speed and effectiveness of the emergency response. Public anger has mounted, with criticism directed at the Sindh government and the Karachi mayor over what residents and traders described as delayed action.
According to a report by the Pakistani daily Dawn, the fire could have been brought under control earlier, but slow response times and limited administrative resources allowed it to spread unchecked. Traders and local residents told the newspaper that prompt intervention by the nearest fire station, civic bodies, and local officials could have prevented the loss of lives and property.
“They kept telling us on Saturday night that there was a shortage of water,” a local resident was quoted as saying, adding that the lack of water severely hampered firefighting efforts. The report said the operation only intensified early Sunday.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori visited the site on Monday to assess the situation. Speaking to the media, he said that “more than 70 people” were still missing.
“The reports of more than 70 missing persons are extremely alarming and constitute a major tragedy,” Tessori was quoted as saying by Dawn. He added that a pregnant woman was believed to still be trapped inside the building and that efforts to locate her were ongoing.
The governor said the incident had now turned into a “national tragedy.”
South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that the fire safety operation had been completed and that the focus had shifted to post-fire measures. “Cooling process has now started with the removal of debris from the site by KMC, TMC and Pakistan Navy personnel,” he said.
Rescue and recovery operations remain underway, and authorities said further details would be shared as the situation develops. (Source: IANS)
