Gul Plaza Fire: Six Dead, Up to 60 Still Missing, Says CM Murad

News Desk/APP

Karachi: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday evening visited Gul Plaza, the site of a devastating fire, where he reviewed rescue and firefighting operations and briefed the media on the situation.

Addressing reporters, the chief minister said the affected area is a major commercial hub that remains particularly busy due to the ongoing wedding season. “People come here for shopping, especially these days,” he noted.

Shah said reports of the fire were received after 10:00 pm on Saturday night, prompting an immediate response by municipal authorities. “The first fire tender reached the site at 10:27 pm and firefighting operations began without delay,” he said.

He added that a large-scale operation was launched to control the blaze. “A total of 26 fire tenders, four snorkels and 10 water bowsers participated in the operation,” he said, acknowledging support from multiple institutions. “Along with KMC, the Pakistan Navy and Karachi Port Trust provided snorkels, while the Civil Aviation Authority dispatched three firefighting vehicles.”

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/gul-plaza-fire-largely-under-control-cooling-underway-sharjeel/

Expressing deep grief over the loss of lives, the chief minister said six people, including a firefighter from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, had died in the incident. “Twenty-two people were injured and shifted to hospitals. Alhamdulillah, all of them have now been treated and discharged,” he added.

However, Shah termed the situation extremely alarming as 58 to 60 people were still reported missing. “We pray to Allah for their safety and hope they are found alive,” he said.

Briefing the media on the structure, he said the building comprised a basement, ground floor and three storeys, housing more than 1,000 shops. He cautioned against speculation about the cause of the fire, saying it was too early to draw final conclusions. “Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have started due to a short circuit in one of the shops,” he said, adding that the presence of highly combustible materials caused the fire to spread rapidly.

The chief minister said firefighters faced serious challenges during the operation. “Due to the building’s layout and lack of access points, firefighters could not easily enter the premises, which unfortunately led to greater damage,” he explained.

Read More: https://thepenpk.com/five-dead-in-gul-plaza-mall-fire-pm-expresses-grief/

During his visit, Shah was briefed by Minister for Labour Saeed Ghani and Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi on the incident and ongoing rescue efforts. He also met affected shopkeepers and families, offering condolences and sharing their grief.

The chief minister assured that the government would conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, take steps to prevent similar tragedies in the future, and provide all possible assistance to the victims.