Rescue work continues
Dozens still missing as rescue teams shift to debris removal; Rs10m declared in compensation for each victim’s family
KARACHI
The death toll in the Gul Plaza blaze continues to rise, with fatalities reaching 26 after the rescuers managed to douse the inferno after around 33 hours of arduous efforts. The number of those missing in the incident has also risen to 73 after three more names were added to the list, said the help desk established by the Sindh government. A large number of people gathered near Gul Plaza and attempted to enter the dilapidated building and protested against the incident while demanding justice for the victims.
The authorities have summoned additional police force to disperse the crowd and remove them from the vicinity, while announcements were also made warning the people that several building pillars had been weakened due to fire and could collapse at any time. The fire started late on Saturday at the sprawling, multi-storey Gul Plaza shopping centre in the city’s business district and burned for more than 24 hours, hampering rescue efforts in the densely packed area.
After more than 24 hours of firefighting, crews moved to cooling and debris-clearing, although concerns grew that more victims could still be trapped inside. Firefighters said the lack of ventilation in the building, which houses more than 1,200 shops, caused thick smoke to fill the mall and slowed efforts to reach people trapped inside.
The inferno left parts of the building collapsed amid uproar over alleged shortcomings in the authorities’ response, with rescuers making way into the building by cutting windows and demolishing walls with hammers. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Asad Raza confirmed 14 deaths as the rescuers have said that five of the bodies recovered from the site are beyond identification.
