Devastating Pakistan Mall Fire Claims Six Lives, Dozens Still Missing

Firefighters in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Sunday finally extinguished a blaze at a multistory shopping plaza after a nearly 24-hour-long effort. The fire left six people dead, including a firefighter, and dozens missing, officials said. The fire broke out late Saturday at Gul Plaza, and spread rapidly through shops stocked with cosmetics, garments and plastic goods, according to Dr. Abid Jalal Sheikh, the city’s chief rescue officer. The fire has been put out and now a search for dozens of missing people is underway, said Murad Ali Shah, the chief minister in the Sindh province of which Karachi is the capital. Earlier, authorities had said crews needed another four to six hours to bring the blaze fully under control. Five bodies were recovered from the four-story building and its basement, which housed about 1,200 shops, Sheikh said. Rescue officials said a firefighter died while trying to extinguish flames on the upper floors. Meanwhile, families continued searching for missing relatives. Television footage showed dozens of firefighters in protective gear as thick smoke billowed from the damaged building. Parts of the structure collapsed during the fire. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, and an investigation will follow. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the deaths and ordered authorities to use all available resources to prevent further losses. Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province, has a history of deadly fires, often blamed on poor safety standards and illegal construction. In November 2023, a fire at a shopping mall in the city killed 10 people and injured 22 others.