Rescuers find 20 bodies in one shop as search continues after Karachi's Gul Plaza blaze

Rescue authorities in Pakistan's largest city recovered 20 more bodies on Wednesday from a single shop of the Gul Plaza shopping mall, police said on Wednesday, as search and recovery operations continued five days after a major blaze.

Officials warned the toll could rise further as all the missing are yet to be accounted for. The death toll had been confirmed to have reached 30 earlier today.

Police surgeon Dr Sumaiya Syed said the examination of additional remains recovered from the rubble was still ongoing. DIG South Asad Raza later said 30 bodies were recovered from a shop on the first floor, but authorities have not yet issued a final toll for the incident.

“There is a fear of an increase in the death toll,” Dr. Syed said. Officials said 11 victims have been identified so far.

The fire broke out late Saturday night at the multi-storey Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road, one of Karachi’s busiest commercial arteries. Parts of the building collapsed during the blaze, complicating rescue efforts.

Earlier, the Edhi Foundation, a major local charity, said three of the previously unidentified bodies at its morgue had been identified, including a 15-year-old girl and two men.

The ground-plus-three-storey structure housed around 1,200 shops across roughly 8,000 square yards. Officials said the blaze caused severe structural damage.

Search continues amid unstable structure

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said heavy machinery had been deployed to remove debris and that rescue teams had entered the basement, where parts of the building collapsed during the fire.

He warned the operation could take days because sections of the structure remain unstable and flames periodically re-ignite in smoldering areas.

Wahab said the fire had been brought under control through joint efforts by the district administration, rescue agencies and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation. He added that all available support would be provided to families affected by the tragedy.

Rescue workers, wearing masks and protective gear, were seen carrying remains in sacks for DNA testing, frequently stopping to drink water after working in intense heat and thick smoke.

Wahab said the building had three accessible sections: two parts that were still standing and a rear portion that had collapsed. He said reports of movement were received late into the night, but rescuers found no signs of life when those areas were accessed.

Adjoining plaza declared unsafe

Meanwhile, the Sindh Building Control Authority declared the neighboring Rimpa Plaza “unsafe,” citing structural damage caused by debris from the adjoining Gul Plaza during the fire and subsequent rescue operations.

In a notice, the authority said rubble from the collapsed portions of Gul Plaza had fallen onto the ramp area of Rimpa Plaza, damaging its structural columns. Notices were issued to the plaza’s management and shop owners.

A rescue worker whistles to call his team member (not pictured) as he walks past the collapsed floors, following a massive fire that broke out at the Gul Plaza Shopping Mall, in Karachi, Pakistan, January 21, 2026. Reuters

“It has been observed that, due to an unfortunate fire incident at Gul Plaza, several portions of the said structure have collapsed,” the notice said. “During the course of this incident, a part of the collapsed structure fell onto the ramp area of the subject building, resulting in damage to its structural columns.”

The SBCA said inspections found the affected portion of Rimpa Plaza to be unsafe and dangerous, posing a serious threat to human life and property.

The authority directed the plaza’s management to immediately stop using the damaged and dangerous portion of the structure. It ordered that all unsafe structural elements be removed and that repair and strengthening work be carried out strictly under the supervision of a qualified structural engineer, in line with applicable building laws and regulations.

It emphasized that no part of the affected building may be used or occupied until it is officially declared safe, warning that failure to comply would result in legal action under the Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979, without further notice.

Inquiry launched as cause remains unclear

Authorities said the first emergency call was received at 10:38 p.m. Saturday, reporting a fire in ground-floor shops. By the time firefighters arrived, flames had spread to upper floors and engulfed much of the building.

Firefighters said poor ventilation caused thick smoke to fill the structure, slowing efforts to reach people trapped inside.

Police had earlier suggested the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, but authorities said the cause remains unconfirmed as an inquiry committee works to establish responsibility.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had earlier said dozens of people remained missing, while several injured victims had been discharged from hospital.

The Gul Plaza blaze is the deadliest in Karachi since a 2012 industrial fire that killed more than 260 people, a disaster a court later ruled involved arson.