A devastating fire that engulfed a prominent shopping complex in Karachi has claimed approximately 50 lives, with recovery teams extracting 20-25 additional bodies from the debris on Wednesday. The blaze at Gul Plaza, which erupted late Saturday, represents the port city’s most severe fire incident in over a decade.
The multi-story commercial establishment, renowned for housing approximately 1,200 family-operated retailers specializing in wedding attire, household goods, and toys, was rapidly consumed by flames that spread through the sprawling complex. Firefighting crews battled the inferno for three days before bringing it under control, leaving the structure completely reduced to ash and rubble.
Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso confirmed the recovery of remains, noting the extreme difficulty in identification due to the severity of the damage. All recovered remains have been transferred to medical facilities for DNA analysis and formal identification procedures.
The official casualty count continues to evolve as state-operated rescue services report 84 individuals formally registered as missing. Law enforcement authorities indicate most missing persons are feared deceased, suggesting the final death toll may increase substantially. One shopkeeper described approximately 18-20 individuals present in his establishment alone when the fire broke out, all of whom remain unaccounted for.
The tragedy has drawn public mourning, with local residents gathering near the disaster site for candlelight vigils displaying photographs of presumed victims. This incident marks Karachi’s deadliest structural fire since the 2012 industrial inferno that claimed over 260 lives, raising renewed concerns about urban safety protocols and emergency response capabilities in Pakistan’s largest metropolitan center.