KARACHI, Pakistan — The death toll from Saturday’s catastrophic shopping plaza fire is anticipated to increase significantly after rescue teams made a grim discovery Wednesday, uncovering human remains believed to belong to numerous victims who had sought refuge in a single shop during the blaze.
For the first time since the fire erupted at Gul Plaza in Pakistan’s largest metropolitan area, search crews managed to access a retail establishment where multiple individuals had attempted to shelter from the inferno. The recovery operation revealed more than two dozen body parts, suggesting the final casualty count could substantially exceed initial estimates.
Prior to this development, authorities had confirmed 29 fatalities from the incident, according to police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed. The city’s primary medical facility received the newly discovered remains on the fifth consecutive day of search efforts.
Government administrator Javed Nabi Khoso provided preliminary assessments indicating the recovered remains might represent between 15 to 25 individuals. “This marks the first instance where such an extensive collection of remains has been located in a single area since the fire commenced,” Khoso stated.
Senior rescue official Abid Jamal Sheikh corroborated these estimates, noting the remains could belong to more than a dozen people while emphasizing that official verification procedures remain ongoing.
The investigation into the fire’s origin continues, with preliminary police reports suggesting an electrical short circuit may have ignited the blaze.
Amid the ongoing recovery operations, dozens of mourners gathered Wednesday for the first funeral services, honoring shop owner Shahroz Iqbal who perished in the tragedy.
This incident highlights Karachi’s persistent challenges with fire safety, characterized by inadequate safety protocols, lax enforcement measures, and unauthorized construction practices. The city witnessed a similar mall fire in November 2023 that resulted in 10 fatalities and 22 injuries. Pakistan’s deadliest industrial catastrophe occurred in 2012 when a garment factory fire claimed at least 260 lives.