KARACHI: Rescue operations continued on Tuesday at Gul Plaza after a deadly fire killed at least 23 people. Teams worked to clear debris from the mall’s basement.
The fire erupted on Saturday night. The blaze caused parts of the building to collapse. Gul Plaza was a ground-plus-three-storey structure.
The shopping complex housed 1,200 shops. It covered an area of about 8,000 square yards. The mall stood on M.A. Jinnah Road.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze after more than 24 hours on Sunday. Flames reignited on Monday due to smouldering debris. Firefighting efforts resumed.
South DIG Syed Asad Raza said teams had not entered the first floor overnight. He said rescuers recovered no bodies during that period.
“Rescue teams have just entered Rimpa Plaza,” DIG Raza said. He said the operation restarted from there.
He said authorities confirmed 38 missing persons through mobile phone locations. He said locations of 37 others could not be traced. Officials reported over 60 missing persons.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab visited the site overnight. He said joint efforts brought the blaze under control. District administration, rescue agencies and KMC participated.
The mayor said teams were clearing debris in the basement. He promised full support for affected families. He placed all KMC departments on high alert.
Wahab said operations would continue until all missing persons were found. He said heavy machinery was deployed at the site. Authorities used cranes to clear the roof.
Rescuers also began removing vehicles parked on the roof. Wahab said machinery would remain until operations end.
Late Monday night, DIG Raza confirmed 23 recovered bodies. Earlier news reports from geo news showed a figure of 26 deaths, however there’s an official figure of 23 deaths now. He said rescuers found body parts of several victims.
Rescue 1122 COO Dr Abid Jalal issued a statement. He said teams recovered more than 20 bodies. He said the final death toll remained uncertain.
He said rescuers recovered remains from different locations. He said forensic verification was required. He said authorities could not confirm numbers yet.
65 people still missing
On Monday, Mayor Wahab spoke on Geo News. He said 65 people remained missing. He rejected higher missing figures reported elsewhere.
He said authorities identified 18 bodies so far. He said several recovered bodies await DNA identification. He said firefighting had ended and cooling work continued.
Wahab said teams accessed three building areas. He said two areas were structurally intact. He said one rear portion had collapsed.
He said rescuers earlier received reports of movement. He said teams found no survivors after access. He urged workers to drill with caution.
Wahab said 1,200 shops operated in the plaza. He said long-term issues may indicate negligence. He said authorities would investigate.
The provincial government formed an inquiry committee. Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi heads the panel. The committee will probe the fire’s cause.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced a relief package. He promised compensation for victims’ families. He also announced assistance for shopkeepers.
The chief minister said each victim’s family would receive Rs10 million. He said a special committee would support affected traders.