KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Karachi’s business community on Tuesday estimated losses of about $18 million after a devastating fire tore through a major shopping plaza in the city, with rescue teams continuing search and recovery operations at the site amid fears that more victims may still be trapped under the debris.
The fire broke out late Saturday at Gul Plaza, a multi-story shopping complex in Karachi’s congested Saddar area, spreading rapidly through the building, which has over 1,200 shops, and trapping workers and shoppers inside. Recovery efforts have been slowed by severe structural damage and fears of collapse, officials said.
Dr. Summaiya Syed, Karachi’s chief police surgeon, said 27 deaths had been confirmed so far, with identification still underway for several bodies recovered from the site.
Karachi has a long history of deadly fires in commercial buildings, often blamed on overcrowding, aging infrastructure and weak enforcement of fire safety regulations in a city of more than 20 million people.
Atiq Mir, president of the Karachi Tajir Ittehad, which represents around 600,000 small traders across the city, said assessments by traders now put the financial damage from the Gul Plaza fire at nearly Rs5 billion ($18 million), far higher than initial estimates.
