ISLAMABAD

The death toll from a massive fire at a shopping center in Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial capital, has risen to 14 after more bodies were recovered from the debris, local media reported on Monday, citing officials.

Asad Raza, deputy inspector general of police south, told broadcaster Geo News that search and rescue operations remained underway at the site.

Sindh's provincial Governor Kamran Tessori was on the scene earlier, telling reporters that dozens of people were missing after the incident.

“There were around 1,200 people doing business in the building, and 70 to 80 people are still missing,” he said.

According to officials of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), firefighting operations have been completed, and cooling efforts are now underway alongside the removal of debris.

Authorities warned, however, that the building is old and structurally unstable, forcing rescue teams to proceed with extreme caution.

The fire erupted late Saturday night at the Gul Plaza shopping center on MA Jinnah Road. The building houses around 1,200 shops, including outlets selling clothing, electrical appliances, cosmetics, and crockery — factors that contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze.