Death Toll in Pakistan Mall Fire Rises to 55, Says Karachi Government
“A total of 55 bodies have been recovered since Saturday night,” when the fire broke out, said Javed Nabi Khoso, deputy commissioner of Karachi’s South district
By : Mweru Mbugua
The death toll from a devastating fire at a shopping mall in Pakistan’s largest city has climbed to at least 55, a Karachi government official confirmed on Thursday
“A total of 55 bodies have been recovered since Saturday night,” when the fire broke out, said Javed Nabi Khoso, deputy commissioner of Karachi’s South district
The blaze erupted on January 17 at the three-storey Gul Plaza, triggering a prolonged recovery operation. Relatives of those still missing have criticised authorities for what they describe as a slow and painful search through the debris, as rescuers continue to comb the wreckage for human remains
Provincial health official Summaiya Syed said more than 50 families have provided DNA samples to help identify victims. Speaking to journalists outside the Civil Hospital Karachi mortuary on Wednesday, she said bodies would be handed over to families once DNA matches are confirmed
Fires are a frequent occurrence in Karachi’s markets and factories, often linked to poor infrastructure and lax safety standards, but officials say a blaze of this magnitude is rare
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Among the grieving families is Faraz Ali, whose father and 26-year-old brother were inside the mall at the time of the fire. “We just want the bodies to be recovered and handed over to their rightful families,” he told AFP. “At least let us see them one last time, in whatever condition they are, so that we may say our final goodbye”
A government committee has launched an investigation into the incident, though the cause of the inferno has not yet been determined
