At least 10 people have died in a massive fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza shopping complex as rescue teams continue searching for dozens reported missing, officials said Monday. Firefighters brought the blaze under control late Sunday, nearly 24 hours after it started, allowing rescuers to recover four more bodies overnight, raising the confirmed death toll to 10. The fire, which broke out late Saturday, spread quickly through shops storing cosmetics, garments, and plastic goods, said Dr Abid Jalal Sheikh, the city’s chief rescue officer. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said around 60 people were reported missing, prompting a large-scale search operation. In November 2023, a shopping mall fire killed 10 people, and a 2012 garments factory fire claimed 260 lives.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 19, 2026 10:16 UTC