Pakistani firefighters began on Monday retrieving bodies from the rubble of a shopping center in Karachi, following a massive fire that claimed the lives of at least 21 people, while more than 60 remain missing.
The fire, the largest the city has seen in over a decade, broke out late Saturday at Gul Plaza, a multi-story complex in Karachi’s historic center housing around 1,200 shops and covering an area larger than a football field. Flames raged for more than 24 hours before being largely brought under control.
Video footage showed large flames engulfing the entire building, while firefighters battled the blaze throughout the night. On Monday, teams began cooling the structure and clearing debris, including twisted metal, collapsed air conditioning units, and scattered shop signs.
By Monday afternoon, most of the building had collapsed. Authorities used cranes to dismantle remaining structures out of fear they could fall completely, endangering rescue teams.
Among the families awaiting news is Qasir Khan, whose wife, daughter-in-law, and mother-in-law had gone to the shopping center Saturday evening and remain missing. He criticized the rescue efforts as too slow. “They could have saved many people,” Khan said.
Hundreds gathered around the site as rescue teams searched for survivors. Shop owners were among those watching years of hard work reduced to ashes. “We are left with nothing; 20 years of tireless work are gone,” said shopkeeper Yasmeen Bano, according to Euronews.al.
Authorities continue to search through the rubble while investigations into the fire’s cause are ongoing.
