KARACHI, Pakistan — At least 15 people were killed and more than 60 were missing after a massive blaze tore through Gul Plaza late Saturday, trapping shoppers and workers inside a multistory shopping center in Karachi’s historic core, officials said. Authorities opened an urgent inquiry into the Karachi mall fire as officials tried to determine what sparked the blaze and whether safety lapses contributed, Jan. 19, 2026.
The fire raged for more than 24 hours and left portions of the complex collapsed, with metal shutters, shop signs and air-conditioning units scattered outside the entrance, Reuters reported. Officials said Gul Plaza, on M.A. Jinnah Road, housed about 1,200 small shops packed with garments, home goods and other flammable inventory, complicating efforts to reach people believed to be inside.
Karachi mall fire: rescuers search unstable Gul Plaza
With flames largely extinguished late Sunday, rescue teams began moving through the building in a search operation that started after crews could finally enter the charred structure, Dawn reported. Firefighters continued cooling work Monday as investigators and rescue officials warned that damaged sections could give way without notice.
Officials said the Karachi mall fire filled stairwells and corridors with thick smoke, slowing rescues and forcing responders to pull back repeatedly as hot spots reignited. Police and rescue teams have also used mobile phone data to help trace missing people and match reports from families, according to Al Jazeera.
Inquiry and relief measures
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the provincial government would investigate what caused the Karachi mall fire and whether any failures in prevention or response contributed to the toll. Police officials have said the blaze may have been triggered by an electrical fault, but authorities cautioned that investigators have not confirmed a definitive cause.
Shah also announced compensation of 10 million rupees (about $36,000) for the family of each person killed, the Associated Press reported. Relatives of the missing waited outside the cordoned-off plaza, holding photographs and repeating phone numbers to anyone who might have seen their loved ones, as hospitals and charity groups helped compile lists of the injured.
Karachi’s fire record raises safety questions
The Karachi mall fire has revived scrutiny of fire safety and building enforcement in a city where crowded markets and aging electrical systems are common. In November 2023, a blaze at Karachi’s RJ shopping mall killed 10 people and injured 22 others, Reuters reported.
Karachi has also struggled to overcome the legacy of the 2012 Ali Enterprises factory disaster, Pakistan’s deadliest industrial fire. A court later ruled the blaze was arson and sentenced two men to death, according to a 2020 Al Jazeera report.
For now, the Gul Plaza site remains sealed as the Karachi mall fire investigation begins and rescuers continue searching for those still unaccounted for. Officials said the death toll could rise as more of the building becomes accessible.
