Gul Plaza fire under control with 14 bodies recovered as dozens still missing

WEB DESK: Firefighters brought the massive blaze at Gul Plaza on MA Jinnah Road under control after nearly 36 hours, but authorities warned on Monday that the severely damaged building is now extremely unstable and at risk of collapse. At least 14 bodies have been recovered while rescue teams continue searching for more than 50 missing persons, officials said on Monday.

The fire, which erupted late Saturday night at the multi-storey shopping centre and raged through Sunday, caused partial structural failures, forcing officials to halt active firefighting once the main blaze was extinguished and shift to cooling and debris removal operations.

Chief Fire Officer Humayun Ahmed said the structure had become unsafe, with only limited work continuing due to the danger. At least 14 people, including a firefighter, have been confirmed dead, while rescue teams have recovered additional body parts, including those of a child, since Sunday night. Officials said between 54 and 59 people remain unaccounted for, with police and rescue agencies using mobile phone data and contacting families to trace those missing.

Commissioner Karachi Hasan Naqvi, who visited the site and spoke to the media, said firefighters and rescue personnel were attempting to enter the building by breaking windows as intense heat and structural damage continued to hamper operations.

“There is still fire at some locations inside the building and the heat level remains extremely high,” the commissioner said, adding that cooling operations were underway to allow teams to safely move inside. He confirmed that the condition of the building was dangerous and that it would be demolished once rescue efforts were completed. Naqvi added approximately 14 bodies had been retrieved so far, while the search for over 50 missing individuals was ongoing.

Separately, DIG South Asad Raza confirmed that 14 deaths had been verified so far. He said the deceased included one woman, while the rest were men. The recovery of bodies was continuing as the operation progressed. According to police, several bodies were burnt beyond recognition and have been temporarily placed in the Edhi morgue for identification.

Rescue officials said the operation remained challenging due to lingering flames, excessive heat and the unstable structure, but efforts were ongoing to locate survivors or additional victims.