Karachi’s Gul Plaza blaze death toll climbs to 71 as search nears completion

The death toll from the devastating fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza shopping complex rose to 71 on Friday, as rescue teams recovered more bodies from the ruins of the burnt-out building.

The blaze, which began late on Saturday, swept through the sprawling mall in Pakistan’s largest city and reduced much of the structure to rubble. The three-story building housed around 1,200 family-run shops selling wedding attire, toys and household goods, and was largely destroyed by the inferno.

Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed released an updated list of the dead, confirming that 71 bodies have been recovered.

Search efforts near completion

The fire, which erupted on January 17 and took nearly two days to fully extinguish, left parts of the ground-plus-three-story complex collapsed and in ruins. As recovery efforts continued, officials cautioned that the final death toll would depend on the completion of identification processes.

South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso said the search operation was in its final stages and could conclude by Friday night or Saturday morning. He added that 77 people remain missing and that the operation was being conducted under the supervision of the Sindh Building and Control Authority (SBCA).

Khoso said about 90% of the rescue work had been completed.

Cause of fire still unclear

Tanveer Pasta, president of the Gul Plaza Market Association, told Nukta that the fire was suspected to have started after children reportedly played with lighters on the lower floor. He said the market has 16 gates and that all but one - near the prayer area - were open during the incident.

When questioned about suggestions of deliberate arson, Pasta said shopkeepers also questioned how the blaze spread so rapidly. He said he was later told that the fire may have been triggered by children playing with a lighter, which then spread through the complex.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah briefed the provincial assembly on Friday, with Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab present. He reiterated that the provincial government had released the promised compensation of Rs10 million for each victim’s family and handed the funds to the Karachi commissioner for distribution.

Murad also said a committee had been formed to assess business losses at Gul Plaza and promised compensation for affected traders. He added that 500 shops had been made available in one building and 350 in another, and that owners had agreed to waive rent for a year.

The chief minister said his administration was working to provide temporary shops for the affected traders for up to two years.

The Gul Plaza blaze is the deadliest fire in Karachi since a factory fire in 2012 that killed more than 260 people.