ISLAMABAD
The death toll from a massive fire at a shopping center in Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial capital, has risen to 26 after more bodies were recovered from the debris, with dozens still remaining missing, local media reported on Monday.
According to Geo News, the number of people missing has risen to 73, with three additional names added to the list, according to the help desk set up by the Sindh government.
The fire broke out late on Saturday at the multi-storey Gul Plaza shopping centre in the city's business district and burned for over 24 hours, hindering rescue operations in the crowded area.
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.