Death toll in Karachi’s Gul Plaza fire rises to 28; over 80 still missing

The rescue operation at Karachi’s Gul Plaza reached a critical phase, with families of over 80 missing persons anxiously awaiting as the death toll rose to 28, according to data provided by rescue officials.

Officials said the toll could increase further as search teams were facing severe challenges accessing the building’s unstable upper floors.

While the deputy commissioner confirmed that the first floor had been cleared, the search on the second and third storeys was being hampered by a severe lack of manpower and functional equipment.

Sources on the ground reported that heavy machinery and rescue vehicles had been stationary for several hours, leaving limited teams to sift through massive piles of debris with inadequate tools.

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In a delicate operation earlier during the day, cranes were used to lower 17 cars, 12 motorcycles, and a rickshaw from the building’s roof to reduce the structural load.

The identification process is proving equally challenging.

Police Surgeon Dr Sumaiya confirmed that only seven of the recovered bodies had been identified as many were charred beyond recognition. Forensic teams had collected 48 DNA samples from grieving relatives to match against remains at the Sindh Forensic DNA Laboratory and the University of Karachi.

Frustrated eyewitnesses and families, who remained outside the plaza through the night, slammed the administration for the pace of the operation.

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Despite complaints, authorities maintained that the building’s “dilapidated and unstable” condition necessitated extreme caution to prevent a secondary collapse that could bury the rescue workers themselves.

The fire had erupted on Saturday night.