Karachi: Gul Plaza tragedy death toll rises to 26, 76 still missing

Karachi: The death toll from the Gul Plaza fire has reached 26, while 76 people remain missing, according to the Sindh government’s help desk. Initially, 70 people were reported missing, with six more added to the list today. Several women are also among the missing.

Rescue authorities report that the fire at Gul Plaza has been largely brought under control, with cooling operations ongoing. Rescue teams continue to search for the missing individuals.

The fire broke out on Saturday night around 10:15 PM at Gul Plaza on MA Jinnah Road. Starting on the ground floor, it quickly spread to the third floor, causing parts of the building to collapse. Residents and bystanders watched helplessly as the blaze engulfed the building.

Firefighters managed to gain full control of the fire after 33 hours, and cooling operations are ongoing. After containment, they entered the plaza and conducted limited search operations inside the burnt shops. During this, remains of three individuals, including a child, were recovered and transferred to the Civil Hospital Trauma Center.

Karachi Police Chief Azad Khan stated that preliminary investigations rule out sabotage as a cause of the fire.

According to the Chief Fire Officer, the fire began in a shop selling artificial flowers and decorative pots at 10:14 PM, with Rescue 1122 being notified at 10:38 PM.

Two fire tenders arrived at 10:57 PM. Despite 14–16 entry and exit points, the narrow pathways significantly hampered firefighting efforts. Smoke filled all passages, and a shortage of water during the first 2–3 hours further complicated efforts, with water tankers getting stuck due to nearby construction work.

The Sindh government continues to coordinate rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts for the victims of the Gul Plaza tragedy.