Technical, investigation teams assess Gul Plaza after tragedy, death toll at 71

WEB DESK: Technical and investigative teams arrived at the site of the Gul Plaza incident on Saturday to conduct a detailed assessment of the building and ongoing rescue operations, marking the eighth day since the tragedy on the night of January 17. At least 71 bodies have been identified while many are still missing.

The team, which includes engineers from the National Engineering and Technology (NED) University and the Pakistan Engineering Council, inspected the ground floor of the plaza alongside Deputy Commissioner South. They examined the interior areas of the building and assessed damage caused by fire, including burnt walls, merchandise, and shop structures. Karachi SSP Arif Aziz was also present at the site.

Meanwhile, rescue operations continued throughout the night, but no human remains were recovered, officials said. Rescue Commander Hameer Waheed reported that cash and other valuable items had been recovered during the search and handed over to the administration.

Access to the basement and areas under the debris remained difficult due to structural challenges, Waheed said, adding that it was too early to determine when the rescue operation would be fully completed. He confirmed that shops where searches were already completed did not reveal any additional casualties.

Authorities emphasised that rescue and technical teams were working together to ensure a thorough investigation of the building’s condition and to support ongoing search efforts. The collaboration aims to assess structural safety and identify factors that contributed to the tragedy while ensuring that all recovered property is accounted for.

Investigators and engineers are expected to provide their findings to authorities in the coming days, which will help guide the next steps in both rescue operations and potential legal proceedings.