Death Toll from Karachi Mall Fire Rises to at Least 55
Families await identification of victims as rescue and recovery operations continue at Gul Plaza.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The death toll from a devastating fire at a shopping mall in Pakistan’s largest city of Karachi has risen to at least 55, a local government official said on Thursday, as authorities continue to recover bodies and identify victims days after the blaze erupted.
“A total of 55 bodies have been recovered since Saturday night,” Javed Nabi Khoso, the deputy commissioner of Karachi’s South District, told AFP. The fire broke out at the three-storey Gul Plaza, triggering a large-scale rescue and recovery operation that remains ongoing.
Relatives of those still missing have voiced frustration over what they describe as a slow and painful process, as rescuers continue to sift through the wreckage in search of human remains.
Provincial health official Summaiya Syed said on Wednesday that more than 50 families have provided DNA samples to assist with identification efforts.
“We will hand over the bodies (remains) to the family once DNA samples are matched,” Syed told journalists outside the mortuary at Civil Hospital Karachi, underscoring the challenges authorities face due to the condition of the recovered remains.
Fires are a frequent occurrence in Karachi’s markets and factories, often blamed on poor infrastructure, lax enforcement of safety regulations, and overcrowded buildings. However, officials and residents say a blaze of this magnitude is rare and has shocked the city.
Among those waiting for news is Faraz Ali, whose father and 26-year-old brother were inside the mall at the time of the fire. Speaking to AFP, the 28-year-old said the family’s only wish is to recover their loved ones’ bodies.
“That is all so that the families may receive something, some comfort, some peace,” Ali said. “At least let us see them one last time, in whatever condition they are, so that we may say our final goodbye.”
The Pakistani government has formed an investigative committee to determine the cause of the inferno, though officials say it is too early to draw conclusions. As the probe continues, grieving families remain gathered outside hospitals and the disaster site, awaiting answers and closure.