Pakistan: Death toll rises to 10 after Karachi's Gul Plaza fire; around 60 still missing

Karachi [Pakistan], January 19 (ANI): The death toll in the massive fire at Karachi's Gul Plaza has risen to 10 after rescuers recovered four more bodies late on Sunday night, while around 60 people are still missing, as search and rescue operations continue, reported Geo News.
Rescue officials said teams also recovered mortal remains of three people, including a child, during the operation, following which they were shifted to the Trauma Centre at Civil Hospital.
After gaining limited access to the fire-hit shopping mall, fire and rescue crews have now begun preparing to enter deeper sections of the building by cutting windows with cutters and breaking down walls with hammers to widen the search for survivors.
A total of 22 fire brigade vehicles, 10 water bowsers, four snorkels and 33 ambulances have been deployed at the site. The Geo news' report, citing officials, said rescue teams managed to enter a small portion of the building and installed thermal cameras to assist the search.
"We have managed to access 5% to 10% of the building," rescue worker Hassan Ahmed said.
However, as per the Geo News report, a firefighter said it was not yet possible to estimate how long the complete search operation would take.
Rescue officials said efforts were continuing to remove debris and fully extinguish the fire. They added that teams had not yet been able to reach the first floor, despite gaining limited access to the structure.
Police have obtained the mobile numbers of families of the missing persons, and the locations of more than 20 individuals have been traced inside the building, officials said.
According to Geo, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah visited the shopping mall on Sunday evening to review rescue and firefighting operations.
Speaking about the incident, he said, "Around 58 to 60 people are still missing," adding that efforts were underway to rescue them.
The chief minister also assured that the government would compensate affected people transparently.
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said rescue operations began immediately after the fire erupted at the shopping mall.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army has joined the search and rescue operation as the fire at Gul Plaza on MA Jinnah Road turned into a major emergency, with authorities fearing that several people may still be trapped inside the damaged building, Geo News reported.
Pakistani Army units, along with the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), have been deployed to support civil authorities, firefighters and rescue teams in clearing debris and accessing areas made unreachable due to structural damage.
Heavy machinery and specialised teams have been brought in, while an Army engineering unit has been placed on standby to assess the building's stability and ensure safe entry for rescuers.
Geo News, citing Pakistani authorities, reported that the Pakistani Army is trying to provide "full support" to speed up rescue efforts, with coordination continuing between the civil administration, police, and other security and disaster relief agencies. (ANI)