KARACHI: Pakistani authorities on Wednesday said 28 bodies had been recovered from a shopping plaza devastated by a massive fire in Karachi last weekend, with dozens of people still unaccounted for, as officials warned the structure could not be demolished until search operations were completed.
The blaze broke out late Saturday at Gul Plaza, a multi-story commercial building in Karachi’s congested Saddar district, and burned for more than 24 hours before being brought under control. The fire gutted over 1,200 shops, triggered partial structural collapse and forced rescuers to navigate extreme heat, debris and instability inside the building.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner of Karachi South Javed Nabi Khoso said rescue teams were continuing phased search and debris-removal operations under strict safety protocols, adding that demolition would only be permitted once all missing persons were traced.
“Until even one missing person is accounted for, the building cannot be demolished,” Khoso said “So far, 28 bodies have been recovered, of which 11 have been identified, while 17 remain unidentified. DNA samples have been taken from families and the bodies, and the identification process is ongoing.”
