KARACHI: As many as 56 people remain missing after a massive fire broke out late Saturday night at the Gul Plaza shopping mall on MA Jinnah Road in Karachi. The blaze has so far claimed six lives, including that of a firefighter, and left at least 30 others injured, said officials.
Firefighters are continuing efforts to fully extinguish the fire, while authorities are compiling data on those who remain untraced. Officials said details of 56 missing individuals have been collected so far in connection with the incident.
The information is being gathered at a help desk set up at the DC South Office, where relatives are reporting missing persons and providing relevant details.
Rescue and investigation operations are ongoing as authorities work to assess the full scale of the tragedy.
The Sindh government has set up a helpline for public assistance. Any information related to the fire or reports of missing persons can be shared with the Deputy Commissioner South at 0313-5048048, 021-99206372 and 021-99205625.
The public has also been advised to provide details of any missing persons related to the incident on the same numbers.
Rescue officials said the deaths were primarily caused by suffocation due to heavy smoke inside the building. More than 30 people were injured, mostly in a stampede that followed the outbreak of the fire. Of the six fatalities, three died of asphyxiation, two were burned to death, while a firefighter lost his life after being trapped under debris.
