Death Toll Climbs to 26 in Pakistan, Karachi Mall Fire

Death Toll Climbs to 26 in Pakistan, Karachi Mall Fire
————————
Pakistani media reported that at least 26 people have died in a major fire at a shopping center in Karachi, with dozens still unaccounted for.

The Express Tribune wrote on Tuesday that 48 hours after the blaze, rescue teams were still searching the burned structure for bodies and survivors.

The fire broke out at the Gul Plaza shopping center, a large commercial complex roughly the size of a football field, housing about 1,200 shops.

Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, has a history of deadly fires blamed on poor safety standards, overcrowded buildings, and weak enforcement of regulations.

Emergency response efforts in the city are often hampered by narrow streets, illegal construction, and lack of modern firefighting equipment.

Witnesses said hundreds of people gathered outside the building as rescue workers combed through debris, hoping to locate missing victims.

A man told Reuters that his wife, daughter-in-law, and her mother went shopping at the mall and have not yet been found. Authorities said 83 people remain missing, raising fears the death toll could rise as recovery operations continue.

The tragedy has renewed calls for stricter fire safety enforcement in commercial buildings across Karachi to prevent future disasters.