Pakistan mourns as the Gul Plaza fire in Karachi claims 60 lives, including 30 trapped and burned inside a single crockery shop, per official police statements. The relentless blaze, burning over 24 hours, devastated the massive shopping destination in the city’s heart.
Mezzanine floor horrors were laid bare by DIG Syed Asad Raza: victims had sealed themselves in, a desperate bid for survival that ended in tragedy. Spanning 8,000 square yards with 1,200 shops in a ground-plus-three building—bigger than a soccer pitch—parts caved in, trapping more.
No demolition until all accounted for, declared South DC Javed Nabi Khoso. From 86 missing, 39 traced onsite, 11 IDs confirmed, 17 unidentified. The Sindh Building Control Authority reported spillover damage to Rimpa Plaza nearby.
As one of Karachi’s worst fires this decade, per media reports, it ignites debates on safety lapses. Fire crews toiled endlessly in the historic district. Families await closure, while experts demand overhauls in building codes to prevent future infernos in crowded retail zones.