Death toll in Karachi mall fire climbs to 14 as rescue work continues

The death toll from a devastating fire at a major shopping mall in Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, rose to 14 on Monday, as rescue teams continued searching for dozens of people feared trapped beneath the rubble, officials said.

The blaze tore through Gul Plaza, a multi-story commercial complex on Karachi’s busy MA Jinnah Road, late Saturday night. Firefighters battled the inferno for more than 24 hours before it was finally brought under control on Sunday.

Smoke rises as firefighters spray water to extinguish a massive fire that broke out in the Gul Plaza Shopping Centre building, in Karachi, Pakistan, January 18, 2026. Reuters

Rescue workers recovered eight additional bodies overnight and early Monday, police and hospital officials told Dawn, raising the confirmed death toll to 14.

“The firefighting operation has been completed, and the cooling process is now underway,” Sindh Deputy Inspector General of Police Syed Asad Raza said, adding that municipal authorities were carrying out debris removal with support from the Pakistan Navy.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, who visited the site on Monday, told reporters that as many as 70 people were still missing. The provincial government has set up emergency helplines for families seeking information about loved ones.

Authorities initially suspect an electrical short circuit caused the fire, though the exact cause has not yet been confirmed.

Dozens still missing

According to earlier reporting by The Express Tribune, at least 59 people, including women who were inside the market when the fire erupted, were initially reported missing as the scale of the disaster became clear.

The fire began around 10:15 p.m. Saturday and quickly escalated into a third-degree blaze, engulfing the ground floor and three upper levels of the building. Heavy smoke, structural damage, and repeated flare-ups hampered firefighting efforts, officials said.

An estimated 40 percent of the market was destroyed, including roughly 1,200 shops and storage units. Merchandise worth millions of dollars was reduced to ashes, dealing a severe blow to traders.

Rescue operations were further marred by tragedy when a firefighter with the Karachi Municipal Corporation, identified as Furqan Ali, was killed after being crushed by falling debris during operations on Sunday morning. His death brought widespread tributes from political leaders.

More than 30 people were treated for injuries or smoke inhalation, officials said.

Police and paramilitary Rangers cordoned off the area to prevent unauthorized access, while distraught families gathered nearby, awaiting news of missing relatives.

Leaders express condolences

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued separate statements expressing grief over the loss of life and praising the bravery of emergency responders.

Both leaders spoke by phone with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, urging the full deployment of resources for rescue and relief efforts and calling for better enforcement of fire safety regulations to prevent similar disasters.

The prime minister also directed federal agencies to assist provincial authorities, emphasizing the need for coordinated emergency response systems in densely populated urban centers.