18/01/2026
🚨 BREAKING NEWS🚨 A massive fire engulfed Gul Plaza shopping complex on M A Jinnah Road late Saturday night, killing at least six people and injuring 20 others, officials said, as firefighters struggled for more than 11 hours to control the blaze.
The fire broke out around 10:30 p.m. and quickly intensified, spreading through the three storey building that housed more than 1,200 shops selling garments, electronics, perfumes, crockery and toys. Thick smoke continued to billow from the structure into Thursday, while large sections of the building collapsed due to severe structural damage.
Rescue officials said ground and mezzanine floors were completely destroyed, while flames also spread to upper levels. At least two portions of the building collapsed during rescue operations, weakening pillars and forcing authorities to halt interior access at times. One firefighter was reported missing after part of the structure gave way, and his body was later recovered from the rubble.
Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan said fire crews faced serious difficulties due to blocked ventilation, closed windows and iron grills inside the plaza. He said three snorkels, 14 fire tenders and multiple water bowsers were deployed to douse the flames. The fire was declared a third degree emergency.
Hospital officials said four bodies and 13 injured people were brought to Civil Hospital Karachi, mostly due to suffocation, while two bodies and 15 injured were shifted to Benazir Bhutto Trauma Center. Most of the injured were later discharged after treatment.
Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani visited the site, as authorities sealed surrounding roads and diverted traffic. Officials said diesel and petrol stored in generators, along with parked vehicles inside the building, further fueled the fire.
District administration said preliminary checks showed the building lacked adequate fire safety equipment and had no proper emergency exits. An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire and assess building safety compliance.
Reuters aded that at least three people were killed and more than 20 injured when a fire tore through a multi-storey shopping mall in central Karachi on Saturday night (January 17), rescue officials said.
The blaze began on the ground floor of Gul Plaza on MA Jinnah Road late on Saturday night and rapidly spread upwards, engulfing much of the building, according to emergency services.
A spokesperson for Rescue 1122, Hassaanul Haseeb Khan, said crews were dispatched shortly after 10:30 p.m. (1730 GMT) and found the fire had already consumed multiple floors. He told Reuters that more than 20 fire trucks and support vehicles from municipal, provincial and navy firefighting units had been deployed to battle the flames, which burnt into the early hours of Sunday (January 18).
Rescue workers evacuated trapped individuals throughout the night. Mohammad Amin, overseeing the response for the Edhi Foundation, said the dead and injured were taken to the city's Civil Hospital.
He said initial rescues brought seven people with burns to the hospital, with many more following in a semi-conscious or injured state. The three fatalities were confirmed at the hospital, Amin said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
