A massive fire that gutted a multi-storey shopping mall in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, has killed at least 11 people, with more than 60 others still missing as rescuers search unstable debris.
The blaze burned for over 24 hours, collapsing large sections of the building and prompting anger over safety lapses and emergency response failures.
The fire broke out late on Saturday at the Gul Plaza shopping centre, a sprawling multi-storey complex located in the city’s busy business district.
Flames burned uncontrollably for more than 24 hours, overwhelming firefighters and complicating rescue operations in the densely built area.
By Sunday evening, emergency crews had moved from active firefighting to cooling and debris-clearing operations.
However, officials warned that the search was far from over, as many people were still believed to be trapped inside the ruins of the building.
Police surgeon Summaiya Syed confirmed that the number of people killed in the blaze had risen to 11, while Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said more than 60 individuals remained missing, heightening fears that the death toll could climb further.
Firefighters described extremely difficult conditions inside the mall, which houses more than 1,200 shops. They said poor ventilation caused thick smoke to rapidly fill the building, severely slowing efforts to reach those trapped inside.
“It appears to have been caused by a circuit breaker,” Sindh province police chief Javed Alam Odho told reporters at the scene on Sunday.
He added that the design of the market, combined with highly flammable materials such as carpets and blankets, allowed the fire to continue smouldering long after flames were brought under control.
Large sections of Gul Plaza collapsed as the fire weakened the structure, leaving twisted metal, shattered concrete and debris scattered across surrounding streets.
Fallen air-conditioning units and shop signboards lay buried under rubble, while rescue workers warned that the remaining parts of the building were unstable and at risk of further collapse.
Rescue services said authorities received the first emergency call at 10:38 p.m. on Saturday, reporting that shops on the ground floor were on fire.
By the time firefighting teams arrived, the flames had already spread rapidly to the upper levels, engulfing much of the building.
The prolonged blaze and scale of destruction have sparked anger and frustration among shopkeepers and local residents.
Traders told local media that shortages of water, limited equipment and a delayed response had hampered early firefighting efforts.
Many said decades of livelihoods had been wiped out overnight, as thousands of businesses operating within the mall were reduced to ashes.
The fire has once again highlighted long-standing concerns about safety standards, electrical systems and enforcement of building regulations in Karachi.
Pakistan’s commercial hub has a history of deadly fires in commercial and residential buildings, often blamed on faulty wiring, overcrowding and weak compliance with safety codes.
As rescue operations continue at Gul Plaza, questions are mounting over accountability and whether the tragedy could have been prevented.
For families of the missing, the wait remains agonising, as firefighters carefully sift through the wreckage in the hope of finding survivors, or answers, amid the ruins of one of Karachi’s busiest marketplaces.
