Rescue teams continue search at Karachi’s Gul Plaza after deadly blaze

Search and recovery operations continued Wednesday at Karachi’s Gul Plaza after a devastating fire that has killed at least 28 people, with medical authorities identifying three more bodies as rescuers worked through unstable debris.

The fire erupted late Saturday night at the multi-story commercial plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road, one of the port city’s busiest arteries. Parts of the building collapsed during the blaze, complicating rescue efforts.

Edhi Foundation officials said three of the 21 previously unidentified bodies at the Edhi morgue have now been identified. The remains belong to a 15-year-old girl and two men.

The ground-plus-three-story structure housed about 1,200 shops spread over roughly 8,000 square yards. Officials said sections of the building collapsed as flames spread rapidly through the complex.

Death toll reaches 28

A day earlier, Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso told Nukta that 27 bodies had been recovered and 85 people were still missing. Rescue 1122 officials later confirmed the death toll had risen to 28.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said heavy machinery had been deployed to clear 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 blaze 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 affected families.

Rimpa 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 struck the ramp area of Rimpa Plaza, damaging its structural columns. Notices were issued to the plaza’s management and shop owners.

“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.”

Members of the urban search-and-rescue team take a break near rubble, following a massive fire that broke out in the Gul Plaza Shopping Mall in Karachi, Pakistan, January 20, 2026.Reuters

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

The SBCA directed the plaza’s management to immediately stop using the damaged portion of the building. 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.

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

65 people still missing

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said Monday that 65 people remained missing, while 22 injured victims had been discharged from hospital.

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 portions that were still standing and a rear section 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.

He said rescuers were instructed to drill cautiously to avoid triggering further collapse. When asked about responsibility, Wahab said establishing facts was the priority and confirmed that an inquiry committee had been formed.

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.

Fire department workers walk past the site, following a massive fire that broke out in the Gul Plaza Shopping Mall in Karachi, Pakistan, January 20, 2026. Reuters

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

Inquiry to be conducted

Chief Minister Shah said an inquiry would determine responsibility and pledged accountability. “I’m admitting that there are faults,” he said. “I can’t say whose fault this is. An inquiry will be conducted and heads will roll.”

Police had earlier suggested the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault, but Shah said the cause remained unconfirmed.

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.

The fire, the city’s biggest in more than a decade, raged for over 24 hours before being extinguished in Karachi’s historic commercial center.