ISLAMABAD: A deadly fire at a major shopping plaza in Pakistan’s largest city of Karachi has killed at least 71 people and caused estimated losses of up to Rs15 billion ($53.6 million), traders and officials said on Friday, as recovery teams continue searching unstable debris and families await identification of victims. The fire broke out on Jan. 17 at Gul Plaza, a densely packed commercial complex in the heart of Karachi that housed more than 1,200 shops.

Karachi’s deadliest fire in years raises urgent questions about building safety, rescue capacity and urban governance.

The BBC speaks to eyewitnesses and survivors of the fire that ripped through a busy Pakistan shopping centre.