Karachi: Firefighters have successfully brought a massive blaze at Gul Plaza, located on M.A. Jinnah Road, under control after hours of intense efforts. The tragic incident has so far claimed 14 lives, while 22 people were injured. Authorities say 73 individuals are still missing.
According to rescue officials, the fire broke out at around 10:15pm on Saturday night on the ground floor of the commercial plaza and quickly spread to the upper floors. The intensity of the blaze caused severe structural damage, with several portions of the building collapsing.
Fire brigade officials confirmed that although the fire has been extinguished, cooling operations are still underway. A fire officer stated that flames occasionally reignite at some locations due to residual heat and flammable material inside the building. He added that the structure is extremely dilapidated, making rescue and cooling operations risky and time-consuming.
Rescue authorities warned that the pillars of the building have weakened due to prolonged exposure to fire, and the plaza is now in a dangerous condition, with a risk of further collapse at any time.
Officials further revealed that the fire completely destroyed around 1,200 shops, causing an estimated financial loss of nearly Rs3 billion. Heavy machinery is being used to remove debris as search efforts for the missing continue.
Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire.