By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: A massive fire tore through the Gul Plaza shopping mall on Karachi’s bustling MA Jinnah Road late Saturday night, killing at least five people and injuring more than 20 others, as flames engulfed the multistory building and trapped dozens inside, officials said.
The blaze, which erupted around 10:15 pm on the mezzanine floor in a shop selling artificial flowers, quickly spread to the ground and first floors, fueled by large quantities of flammable materials like clothing, plastic and cosmetics stored in the shops.
Fire brigade officials declared it a third-degree fire, and despite hours of efforts, flames reached the third floor before being partially contained. A powerful explosion inside the premises, caused by a gas leakage, intensified the conflagration, according to the chief fire officer.
Rescue operations stretched into Sunday, with more than 20 fire tenders, four snorkel vehicles and firefighting foam deployed to battle the flames from all sides. Pakistan Navy firefighters joined the effort with additional snorkels, while Sindh Rangers personnel assisted in evacuating trapped individuals and cordoning off the area to ensure civilian safety and traffic flow.
About 60 percent of the fire had been brought under control by early Sunday, but extreme heat inside the sealed structure, which lacks proper ventilation, prevented rescuers from entering. A portion of the building’s rear side collapsed amid the intense temperatures, raising fears of further structural failure and complicating access.
Hospital authorities at Civil Hospital confirmed receiving five bodies, identifying four of the dead as Faraz, Kashif, Amir and Shehroz, all shop owners who succumbed to severe burn injuries. Most of the injured suffered from suffocation or falls while fleeing the blaze, officials said.
Deputy Inspector General South Asad Raza reported that 25 people had been evacuated, some with the aid of snorkels, but fire brigade officials feared several more remained inside the high-rise, which houses around 1,200 shops. The cause of the fire remained under investigation, though initial reports pointed to a short circuit in one of the ground-floor shops. The presence of air-conditioning units added to the challenges for firefighters, and water supply issues arose as tankers from the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation were delayed by heavy traffic and ongoing road construction near Guru Mandir. Efforts were made to draw water from three nearby hydrants to support the operation.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, who visited the site to oversee rescue efforts, described the fire as “not ordinary,” noting that it had engulfed the building from all four sides. “Our priority is to save the lives of those trapped in the building,” he said, adding that more than 100 people were reported trapped and that flames continued to burn in the rear section despite progress in the front.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar directed officials to divert traffic to alternative routes, clear access for emergency vehicles and secure the building to prevent the fire from spreading further. He also called for a thorough probe into the incident.
Traders voiced frustration over the response. Tanveer Pasta, president of the Gul Plaza traders association, estimated that 80 to 100 people, mostly staff and shopkeepers, were still trapped after customers had exited. He lamented losses worth billions of rupees and criticised the absence of senior officials like the chief minister or mayor, noting that only the governor had appeared so far. “No rescue personnel had yet entered the building,” he told reporters, adding that the fire persisted on three sides. The incident disrupted traffic along M.A. Jinnah Road, which was closed between Anklesaria Chowk and Central Plaza. Vehicles were diverted from Tibet Chowk toward Jubilee, according to Karachi Traffic Police, as crowds of shopkeepers and bystanders gathered, further hindering rescue teams.
The fire at Gul Plaza followed a similar blaze the previous day at the Karachi Port Trust, where at least 20 containers of electrical batteries were destroyed, showing persistent safety concerns in the city’s commercial hubs.
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