Pakistani firefighters continued searching the smouldering remains of Gul Plaza in Karachi on Monday, with over 60 people still missing following a massive fire that killed at least 14.
The blaze began late Saturday at the sprawling shopping mall, which houses 1,200 shops across a multi-storey complex larger than a football field in the city’s historic centre. Videos captured fierce flames rising from the building as firefighters worked overnight to contain the fire.
By Monday, crews were cooling the structure and clearing debris, including twisted metal, fallen air-conditioning units, and shop signboards. Rescue teams warned that the remaining structure was unstable and could collapse at any moment.
Hundreds of onlookers, including shopowners who lost years of work, gathered at the scene. “We’ve been left high and dry, reduced to zero; 20 years of hard work, all gone,” said shopowner Yasmeen Bano.
Police chief Javed Alam Odho confirmed 14 deaths and said around 60 people remain unaccounted for. He noted that 18 injured individuals had been discharged from hospital, but cautioned that the death toll could rise as rescue operations continue.
Anger and frustration surfaced among locals, with Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab facing protests over the fire department’s delayed response.
Investigators believe the fire was caused by a circuit breaker. Firefighters also cited the mall’s design and the flammable nature of shop items — including carpets and blankets made of resins — as factors that allowed the blaze to spread quickly and burn for hours.
The Gul Plaza fire may be Karachi’s largest since 2012, when an industrial blaze killed over 260 people.
