Deadly blaze gutting Karachi’s Gul Plaza mall leaves many missing

A massive fire tore through Gul Plaza, a multistory shopping complex on MA Jinnah Road in Karachi’s historic centre, and rescue teams continue to recover bodies from smouldering rubble as authorities struggle to account for dozens of people believed missing. The blaze, which began late on the night of Jan. 17, burned through the night and into the following day, leaving parts of the structure collapsed and thick smoke still emanating from the site.

Emergency services received the first call at 10:38 p.m. reporting flames on the ground-floor shops. By the time firefighters arrived the fire had spread rapidly to upper floors, fed by large quantities of combustible stock. The plaza, which houses roughly 1,200 shops across a footprint reported to be about 8,000 square metres, contained cosmetics, garments, carpets, plastic goods and household items that officials say accelerated the blaze and complicated firefighting and search operations.

Firefighters and rescue officials described the mall’s poor ventilation and the presence of foam, cloth and other flammable materials as major obstacles. Teams battled the flames for roughly 24 hours before the main fires were largely brought under control; work has shifted to extinguishing hot spots and methodical searches through unstable, smouldering structures. Heavy machinery has been used to move debris as crews look for survivors and recover remains.

Multiple municipal, provincial and navy fire units were deployed. Officials reported a large-scale response that included dozens of fire tenders, bowsers and specialised snorkel vehicles working alongside local rescue teams. Dozens of firefighters in protective gear operated amid smoke and debris, and some rescuers and civilians sustained injuries during operations. Injured people and recovered bodies were taken to Civil Hospital Karachi and other medical facilities.

Casualty figures have changed as rescue efforts continue. Initial tallies put confirmed deaths at six with dozens missing; later counts rose as teams searched through the wreckage. Authorities reported at least 19 bodies recovered and more than 60 people still unaccounted for as recovery work continued. Officials also confirmed multiple injuries, including firefighters among the wounded.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah inspected the site and drew attention to the scale of missing persons in early briefings, urging improvements in building safety and fire preparedness. South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso warned that flammable stock inside the plaza posed the biggest challenge to extinguishing the blaze and stressed the need for properly marked fire exits and on-site firefighting equipment. A spokesperson for Rescue 1122 cautioned that lack of ventilation and accumulated smoke had slowed searches.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed condolences and instructed the provincial government to conduct a comprehensive review of safety arrangements in commercial and residential buildings. Authorities have opened a formal investigation into the origin and spread of the fire, while families and neighbours gathered outside the gutted plaza anxiously registering missing relatives and calling for accountability.

The disaster has spotlighted longstanding concerns over regulatory enforcement and emergency preparedness in densely built urban markets, raising difficult questions about fire safety standards, inspections and the protection of labour and small traders in one of Pakistan’s largest cities.