Rescuers recovered 23 bodies after a nearly 24-hour blaze at Gul Plaza, a large shopping complex in Karachi, while dozens remain missing and officials search for 46 people. Only six bodies have been identified; the others require DNA testing. Sindh authorities confirmed a firefighter among the dead and pledged 10 million rupees (~$36,000) in compensation to each victim's family. The cause of the fire is under investigation amid concerns about safety standards in Karachi.
Karachi Mall Blaze Kills 23; Dozens Still Missing as Rescue Teams Search Gul Plaza
Rescue workers and firefighters work with heavy machinery to search through the rubble of a burnt building of a multistory shopping plaza following a massive fire in Karachi, Pakistan, Jan. 19, 2026. / Credit: Ali Raza/AP(Ali Raza/AP)
The death toll from a major fire at Gul Plaza, a multistory shopping complex in Karachi, rose to at least 23 on Monday as rescuers recovered more bodies from the badly damaged building, police said. Dozens remain unaccounted for as authorities continue search-and-recovery operations.
Firefighters finally extinguished the blaze late Sunday, nearly 24 hours after it began, allowing rescue teams to enter the gutted structure and search for survivors. City police chief Asad Raza said authorities were still looking for 46 people.
Identification and Casualties
Raza told The Associated Press that only six of the recovered bodies have been identified so far. Police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Sye said the remaining bodies are beyond recognition and will require DNA testing. Provincial officials confirmed that one of the dead was a firefighter. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced a compensation package of 10 million rupees (about $36,000) for each family of the deceased.
Rescue workers and firefighters use heavy machinery to search through the rubble of a burnt building of a multistory shopping plaza following a massive fire in Karachi, Pakistan, Jan. 19, 2026. / Credit: Ali Raza/AP
Eyewitness Accounts and Impact
The fire began Saturday at Gul Plaza, which houses roughly 1,200 shops across a complex larger than a football field. Karachi chief rescue officer Dr. Abid Jalal Sheikh said the blaze spread rapidly through stores that stocked cosmetics, garments and plastic goods — highly flammable items that helped fuel the fire.
"We've been left high and dry, reduced to zero; 20 years of hard work, all gone," said shopowner Yasmeen Bano, describing the losses suffered by small-business owners.
Relatives of people still missing gathered outside the charred building, holding out hope for survivors. Qaiser Ali told the AP he had spoken by phone to three female relatives while they were inside the mall; the calls dropped and the family has yet to learn their fate.
Investigation and Context
The cause of the fire has not been determined and police said an investigation is under way. Karachi has a history of deadly fires often linked to poor safety standards and illegal construction. In November 2023, a shopping-mall fire in the city killed 10 people and injured 22, and a catastrophic garment-factory blaze in 2012 claimed 260 lives.
Authorities have warned the death toll could rise as teams continue to search the rubble and process recovered remains for identification. Emergency services, police and provincial officials remain on the scene coordinating recovery and relief efforts.
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