Pakistan Shopping Centre Fire Death Toll Reaches At Least Sixty People

Karachi Shopping Centre Fire: Death Toll Rises to at Least 61

A devastating fire at the Gul Plaza Shopping Centre in Karachi has claimed the lives of at least 61 people, with an additional 30 bodies recovered from a locked store on Wednesday. The fire, which occurred on Saturday, left over 80 people still missing.

According to officials, the 30 bodies were found in the “Dubai Crockery” shop on the mezzanine floor of the complex. The victims had allegedly taken refuge inside the store during the initial moments of the fire, when a stampede broke out in the mall.

Search and recovery operations continued on Thursday, with teams working to locate more than 80 missing individuals. Provincial health officials have collected DNA samples from over 50 families of those affected, which will be used for identification purposes.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has expressed grief over the rising death toll and ordered that debris removal be halted until all bodies are retrieved. Relatives of the missing have criticized the slow operation at the complex, with one family member stating they wanted to see their loved ones “one last time” before receiving them back.

An inquiry committee formed by the Sindh government has found that the fire safety measures at the mall did not meet international standards. No specific cause for the blaze has been identified yet.

The incident is part of a pattern of deadly fires in Karachi, often attributed to poor safety standards and illegal construction practices. A similar incident occurred in November 2023, resulting in 10 fatalities and 22 injuries. In 2012, a fire at a garments factory killed 260 people.

Source: Al Jazeera