🔴LIVE: Gul Plaza Fire: Death toll rises to 73, twenty three bodies identified

2026-01-26 - 05:19

KARACHI: On the night of Saturday, January 17, a massive fire erupted at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road, engulfing the commercial hub in flames and trapping dozens inside. The blaze was brought under control after more than 32 hours, revealing the fragility of the emergency response system that struggled to manage the disaster. The building remains structurally unstable, as rescue teams—supported by the Army, Rangers, and civil authorities—continue searching for missing persons. Families are coordinating with authorities at help desks and DNA collection centres, while engineers assess the damaged structure. All lapses in Gul Plaza fire will be probed Authorities have begun recording statements from witnesses and staff. The SSP city confirmed that statements have been collected from security guards, watchmen, and other personnel present at the plaza during the incident. “The process of taking statements is ongoing after the case was registered,” said SSP Arif Aziz. “Once all information is gathered, any negligence or lapses contributing to the Gul Plaza fire will be addressed.” Officials confirmed that six security guards were on duty during the blaze, and all have provided their accounts to investigators. A digital video recorder (DVR) recovered from the site is also being analysed to help reconstruct the sequence of events at Gul Plaza. Investigators are focusing on key questions, including why doors were closed and why emergency exits were not opened after the fire broke out. SSP Arif Aziz emphasized that the inquiry aims to determine the full chain of responsibility and ensure accountability. Authorities reiterated that all efforts are being made to uncover the truth behind the disaster at Gul Plaza, and further updates will be shared as the investigation progresses. Authorities to seal Gul Plaza tomorrow The Deputy Commissioner South has said that Gul Plaza will be completely sealed tomorrow as authorities move to the next phase following the deadly incident. According to the Deputy Commissioner, the search operation at Gul Plaza is almost complete. Only one pocket of the building remains uncleared, and there is no information about any bodies in that area. He added that once a case is registered, the investigation into the Gul Plaza incident will be expedited. The Deputy Commissioner said 82 people were initially reported missing after the Gul Plaza incident. Families who still believe their loved ones are missing have been asked to contact the administration. He stated that 13 missing cases remain unresolved because relatives have not yet provided DNA samples. He urged families to cooperate so the identification process can be completed. Gul Plaza fire: Death toll jumps to 73 Death toll in Gul Plaza fire tragedy has jumped to 73 after rescue officials found two more remains of the victims from the debris. According to the Sindh Forensic DNA and Serology Laboratory, the process of issuing DNA results remains ongoing. The in-charge of the Identification Project confirmed that the deceased has been identified as Abdul Haseeb. Rescue teams have also recovered the remains of two additional individuals from the debris, officials involved in the identification process said. Authorities stated that 21 unidentified bodies were recovered following the incident. Of these, 16 have so far been identified through DNA profiling. Earlier, the identities of 15 victims had already been confirmed using the same method. Search operation at Gul Plaza to end today, says DC South Deputy Commissioner (DC) Karachi South Javed Nabi Khoso on Sunday announced that Gul Plaza search operation to end today, ARY News reported. Speaking to media, the DC South said that the authorities would reach a conclusion regarding the Gul Plaza incident soon and that all necessary legal action would be taken in accordance with the law. He stated that more than 71 people lost their lives in the Gul Plaza tragedy, while a total of 82 individuals were initially reported missing. DVRs recovered from debris Investigators probing the Gul Plaza tragedy have recovered three digital video recorders (DVRs) from the rubble, raising hopes of uncovering crucial evidence related to the incident. According to officials, the DVRs along with their chargers were found by the Urban Search and Rescue team in a room near a mosque adjacent to Gul Plaza. The recovered devices have been handed over by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to the Deputy Commissioner of District South for further examination. Authorities believe the DVRs could provide key clues to determine the causes and sequence of events that led to the Gul Plaza incident. Technical analysis of the footage is expected to play an important role in the ongoing investigation. Death Toll Rises to 71 The number of fatalities from the Gul Plaza fire has risen to 71 after additional human remains were recovered during the ongoing search operation, ARY News reported on Friday, citing sources at Civil Hospital.  According to hospital sources, human remains were sent to the Civil Hospital a day earlier for DNA profiling. During