Death toll in Karachi mall fire rises to at least 14 in Pakistan

More than 50 radical stay missing, with a constabulary probe nether mode to find the origin of the fire.

The decease toll from a occurrence astatine a buying promenade successful Karachi implicit the play has risen to astatine slightest 14, according to Pakistani authorities, arsenic the hunt for much than 50 missing radical continues.

South lawman inspector wide of police, Syed Asad Raza, told the Dawn paper connected Monday that 8 much bodies had been recovered since Sunday evening by rescue personnel, taking the decease toll from six to 14.

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Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told the regular that a full of 5 bodies had been brought to a section hospital.

Police and rescue teams were utilizing mobile telephone information to hint the 54 to 59 missing radical and person contacted families to cod details.

Karachi is Pakistan’s largest metropolis and the superior of the confederate Sindh province.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, who visited the tract connected Monday, told section media that “more than 70” radical were missing.

“The reports of much than 70 missing persons are highly alarming and represent a large tragedy,” said Tessori, adding that the incidental has present “turned into a nationalist tragedy”.

The occurrence broke retired precocious connected Saturday astatine the Gul Plaza buying mall, a densely packed commercialized complex. Firefighters managed to bring the monolithic blaze nether power aft astir 36 hours, allowing rescue teams to participate the gathering to rescue those trapped inside.

However, officials warned that the gathering is present highly unstable and could illness astatine immoderate moment.

Later connected Monday, rescue main operating serviceman Abid Jalal told Dawn that firefighting efforts had restarted, arsenic flames continued to look connected a information of the mall.

Officials initially suspected the occurrence was caused by an electrical abbreviated circuit successful 1 of the shops, but they aboriginal said the origin has yet to beryllium confirmed, with a constabulary probe nether way.

Shopkeepers and residents told section media that a delayed effect and shortages of h2o and instrumentality had hampered aboriginal firefighting efforts, fuelling choler among traders who said decades of livelihoods had been wiped out.

Karachi has a past of deadly fires, often blamed connected mediocre information standards and amerciable construction. In November 2023, a occurrence astatine a buying promenade successful the metropolis killed 10 radical and injured 22 others.

An inferno astatine a garments mill successful Karachi successful 2012 killed 260 people.