Karachi Shopping Mall Fire Death Toll Reaches 72, Search Continues for Missing
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — The death toll from a devastating fire that engulfed a shopping plaza in Karachi, Pakistan, has risen to 72, with a dozen people still unaccounted for nearly a week after the blaze erupted, officials said Sunday.
The fire, which broke out on the night of January 17th in the basement of the Gul Plaza Shopping Mall, quickly spread throughout the multi-story building in the city’s Saddar district. Firefighters battled the flames for over 36 hours before bringing them under control.
The plaza, a bustling hub for wholesale and retail businesses, housed approximately 1,200 shops within its 8,000 square foot footprint. The scale of the disaster has prompted a formal investigation, with authorities registering a case to determine the cause of the fire and assess potential safety violations.
“The rescue and search operations, which have been ongoing for a week, are likely to conclude tomorrow as debris removal progresses,” said Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso, speaking to reporters Sunday. “We still have a list of 12 individuals who are feared missing.”
The identification of the victims has proven to be a grim and challenging task. Dr. Summaiya Syed, the police surgeon in Sindh province, explained that many of the recovered bodies were severely burned, with some remains consisting only of fragmented body parts. “The process of identification is very difficult,” she stated. “So far, we’ve only been able to identify 22 bodies through DNA matching. A significant amount of work remains.”
While around 20 individuals were initially treated for injuries sustained in the fire, all have since been discharged from hospitals, according to Dr. Syed. Search teams continue to uncover human remains amidst the rubble, with discoveries reported as recently as Saturday night.
The tragedy has ignited a critical conversation about fire safety standards in commercial buildings across Karachi. The Sindh Building Control Authority has launched a fresh audit of commercial properties, issuing notices to 30 buildings requiring immediate compliance with safety regulations, according to director Muazzam Khan.
This incident underscores a broader issue of inadequate fire safety infrastructure in Pakistan, a nation where building codes are often poorly enforced. According to data from the National Fire Protection Association, countries with less stringent building codes and fire safety regulations experience significantly higher rates of fire-related fatalities. The World Bank estimates that Pakistan loses billions annually due to the economic impact of disasters, including fires.
The Pakistani government has pledged to review and strengthen building safety regulations in the wake of the Gul Plaza fire. The disaster serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for improved fire prevention measures and emergency response capabilities to protect lives and livelihoods.
[Embed a relevant YouTube video showing the aftermath of the fire or a news report on fire safety in Pakistan – if available. Example: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YOUR_YOUTUBE_VIDEO_ID" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>]
[Embed a relevant X (formerly Twitter) post from a credible news source or official account reporting on the fire. Example: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en">Devastating scenes from Karachi as firefighters continue to battle the blaze at Gul Plaza Shopping Mall. Our thoughts are with those affected. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KarachiFire?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KarachiFire</a> <a href="https://t.co/EXAMPLE_TWEET_LINK">https://t.co/EXAMPLE_TWEET_LINK</a></p>— Example News Account (@ExampleNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/ExampleNews/status/EXAMPLE_TWEET_ID">January 18, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>]
Published January 25, 2026, 5:13 pm IST