Karachi [Pakistan], January 22 (HBTV): At least 30 bodies were recovered from a gutted shop at Karachi’s Gul Plaza as rescue teams continued combing through debris on Wednesday, with the overall death toll from the blaze estimated at 61, according to police.
Karachi South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that the remains were found at a shop named Dubai Crockery on the mezzanine floor. He cautioned that a final figure would be confirmed only after DNA reports are received.
Earlier, rescue workers had recovered additional bodies, taking the count from 28 to 31. Raza said relatives of the missing and shopkeepers had earlier indicated that many people might have been inside the shop at the time of the fire. He added that victims had believed they would be safe and that the fire would be controlled, but they suffocated while waiting.
On the involvement of a bomb disposal squad, the South police chief said no evidence of mischief had emerged during the initial investigation.
A local resident told Dawn that the shop had announced a wedding-season sale and remained open until 2 a.m., later than its usual closing time of 10 p.m.
The fire broke out on Saturday night at Gul Plaza on MA Jinnah Road. Although it was reportedly doused after more than 24 hours on Sunday, firefighting had to resume on Monday as flames reignited from smouldering debris. The partially collapsed plaza is a ground-plus-three-storey building housing more than 1,000 shops.
Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, who is convening the Sindh government’s inquiry committee, visited the site with Karachi Additional Inspector General Azad Khan. Naqvi said the inquiry had begun and noted that fire safety measures did not meet international standards. The additional IG said no evidence of sabotage had been found so far.
Officials said firefighting and cooling operations were continuing amid extreme heat, with teams clearing debris and accessing structurally stable areas to retrieve bodies trapped underneath. Authorities rejected claims of delayed response, saying fire tenders were dispatched immediately after receiving information. It was also stated that several exits were closed at the time of the fire, and access to the roof was blocked by a locked door.
The Sindh Building Control Authority said parts of the adjacent Rimpa Plaza were affected by heat exposure and that repair work, including strengthening weakened pillars, had begun. The authority rejected reports that building records were unavailable, saying all approved plans and documents related to Gul Plaza were preserved and accessible.
The inquiry has been described by officials as complex, with multiple aspects under examination. Authorities said a fact-based report would be submitted to fix responsibility.
(ANI)