Pakistan Shopping Mall Blaze: Death Toll Rises to 14, Over 70 Still Missing in Karachi

Islamabad: The death toll from the devastating fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza shopping mall rose to 14 on Monday after rescue teams recovered eight more bodies from the site, according to local media reports. Authorities said the search operation is still ongoing, with more than 70 people feared missing.

The massive fire broke out at the shopping complex late Saturday night and continued to rage for several hours, raising serious concerns over emergency response and preparedness.

Public anger has mounted against the Sindh government and the Karachi mayor, with residents and traders criticising what they described as a delayed and inadequate response to the disaster.

According to a report by leading Pakistani daily Dawn, the blaze could have been brought under control much earlier. However, delayed action and limited resources from the administration allowed the fire to spread unchecked for hours. Traders and local residents told the newspaper that prompt intervention by the nearest fire station, civic bodies and local officials could have prevented loss of life and property. They claimed that full-scale firefighting efforts began only early Sunday.

A local resident told Dawn that rescue workers repeatedly cited a shortage of water on Saturday night, which significantly hampered firefighting operations.

Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori visited the site on Monday to review the situation. Addressing the media, he said that “more than 70 people” were still missing.

“The reports of over 70 missing persons are extremely alarming and amount to a major tragedy,” Tessori was quoted as saying. He added that a pregnant woman was believed to be trapped inside the building and that efforts were underway to locate her, describing the incident as having turned into a “national tragedy.”

South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Asad Raza said the fire suppression operation had been completed. “The cooling process has now started, and debris removal is being carried out by personnel from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Town Municipal Corporation (TMC) and the Pakistan Navy,” he told Dawn.

Rescue and recovery operations are continuing, and further details are awaited.

With inputs from IANS