2026 Gul Plaza Shopping Mall fire
 Back side of Gul Plaza after the fire | |
 | |
| Date | 17–21 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Time | ~21:50 (PKT) |
| Duration | 36 hours |
| Location | Gul Plaza, MA Jinnah Road, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 24°51′54″N 67°01′27″E / 24.8651°N 67.0241°E |
| Type | Third-degree blaze |
| Cause | Children playing with lighters or matches in artificial flower shop[1] |
| Deaths | 73 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 20+ |
| Missing | 77 |
On the night of 17 January 2026 at 22:15 PKT, a major fire broke out at the Gul Plaza shopping centre on Muhammad Ali Jinnah Road in Karachi, Pakistan.[2][3] The blaze spread rapidly through the multistory commercial building, resulting in 73 deaths, numerous injuries and extensive damage.
Background
[edit]Gul Plaza was a multi-storey shopping complex located on Muhammad Ali Jinnah Road in Karachi's Saddar area, which housed approximately 1,200 shops selling garments, electronics, cosmetics and household goods spread across three storeys, a mezzanine, and the basement.[4][5][6] The complex was situated on an area of over 6,500 m2 (70,000 sq ft).[7] According to the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), the building was originally constructed in 1979, had a revised plan approved in 1998, and was "duly regularised" under the 2001 Regularisation Amendment Ordinance in 2003. In 2005, a revised No Objection Certificate for sale and advertisement was issued, approved for 1,102 shops spread across the basement, ground, first, second, and third floors.[8][9]
Thirteen of Gul Plaza's 16 exits were locked, as it was near closing time.[5] There were no emergency exits, smoke alarms, fire hoses, fire extinguishers, or fire sprinkler systems in the building.[10][11] A Sub-Fire Officer commented, "If they had a fire extinguisher in the first shop where the fire initially erupted, they could have put it out there and then."[11]
Fire
[edit]
The fire started at around 22:15 PKT on the ground floor of the building and quickly spread to the upper levels due to the presence of flammable materials and limited ventilation.[12][13] The fire started in a shop selling artificial flowers and pots.[14] According to Dawn, the shop owner told investigators that his two sons, both of whom were minors, were playing in his shop while he was away, and they threw a lit match into the shop without putting it out before leaving. The shop housed combustible material which caught fire.[15] The fire spread though the duct to the rest of the building.[16]
According to a Gul Plaza shopkeeper, "The building had caught fire about ten times before, so we initially thought this was normal."[17] A grille installed over the rooftop exit obstructed an escape route.[1]
The first call to emergency services was placed at 22:26, and two fire vehicles were dispatched to the location. They classified it as a Grade 3 fire – "the highest category for an urban area", according to a provincial spokesman – and a city-wide emergency was declared by 22:45.[18] According to Dawn, the authorities responded slowly and with only "limited resources" to extinguish the fire. As a result, the blaze is said to have burned "uncontrolled for hours".[19] Responders cut through windows and destroyed walls using hammers to get inside.[14]
Firefighters from the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and Rescue 1122 battled the blaze for several hours. Multiple sections of the building collapsed during firefighting operations.[20] The Pakistan Navy sent a fire brigade.[9] After nearly 36 hours of continuous efforts, the fire was finally brought under control on 19 January.[21]
Casualties
[edit]At least 73 people were confirmed dead,[22] including a firefighter, 36-year-old Furqan Ali, who was killed in a structural collapse that also injured another firefighter.[23] He was based in Nazimabad Fire Station and started working for the KMC Fire Department in 2018.[11] More than 20 people were injured,[24] while 77 were reported missing during rescue operations.[7] In several cases, only body parts were recovered, while DNA testing had to be conducted to identify some victims.[25]
On 21 January, 30 bodies were retrieved from a crockery shop on the mezzanine floor. The victims were suffocated after locking themselves in the shop awaiting rescue.[26][27][28] According to Dawn, the shop had announced a sale for the wedding season, leading to a large number of people in the shop. Furthermore, the shop had decided to close at 02:00 instead of the usual 22:00 due to the sale.[27]
Response
[edit]The Sindh government called the fire a "national tragedy".[19] It announced compensation of 10 million rupees (US$35,000) for the families of the deceased,[3][29] ordered an inquiry into the incident and established a helpline for families of missing persons. Hospitals across the city were placed on emergency alert.[30]
The police registered a first information report on 24 January, in which they called the fire an "outcome of negligence and carelessness".[31]
Aftermath
[edit]The complex was heavily damaged and partially collapsed.[19] The neighbouring Rimpa Plaza was declared unsafe by the SBCA after it was damaged by debris from Gul Plaza.[32]
The fire caused extensive economic losses to shop owners and renewed debate over fire safety compliance in Karachi's commercial buildings.[33][9] According to the Press Trust of India, a senior official of the Gul Plaza's shop owners association estimated economic losses of at least 3 billion rupees.[34] According to Arab News, the losses were exacerbated by the upcoming Ramadan and wedding seasons – which is typically the apex of sales for traders in Gul Plaza – so they had much more merchandise in stock usual.[35]
The search for people was hampered by the risk of further collapse of the buildings.[19] On 22 January, people gathered outside the plaza and staged a protest, criticising the slow pace of the search operation.[15]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Mushtaq, Kashif (22 January 2026). "Gul Plaza blaze traced to 'shop mishap' as probe rules out short circuit". Geo News. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "Deadly Pakistan shopping plaza fire fuelled by clothes and homewares". ABC News. 18 January 2026. Archived from the original on 19 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ a b Davies, Caroline; Jordan, Dearbail (19 January 2026). "At least 21 dead, dozens missing in massive Pakistan mall fire". BBC News. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ "Five killed as part of Gul Plaza collapses after blaze". Geo News. 18 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ a b Sohail, Riaz; Khan, Zubair; Kamran, Qaisar (21 January 2026). "Gul Plaza: Survivors tell of Pakistan mall fire horror". BBC News. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ Engineer, Anushe (21 January 2026). "Civil society comes together to support affectees of Gul Plaza fire". Dawn. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ^ a b Davies, Caroline (23 January 2026). "Pakistan mall fire death toll jumps to 67". BBC. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ Jadoon, Saleem (21 January 2026). "Toll rises to 28 as probe begins into Gul Plaza fire amide MNAs demand for sweeping safety, accountability steps". Pakistan Today. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ a b c Ali, Imtiaz (20 January 2026). "Death toll of fire at Karachi's Gul Plaza reaches 28". Dawn. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ "Death toll rises to 26 in Karachi's Gul Plaza fire; 81 still missing". Mathrubhumi. Asian News International. 20 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ a b c Hasan, Shazia (21 January 2026). "Firefighters left to face the flames and the blame". Dawn. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ "Fire at Karachi's Gul Plaza kills several, injures dozens". The Express Tribune. 18 January 2026. Archived from the original on 18 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ "Firefighter among six killed, more than 30 injured in Karachi's Gul plaza fire". Dunya News. 18 January 2026. Archived from the original on 18 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ a b Mushtaq, Kashif; Ali, Qamar (19 January 2026). "Gul Plaza blaze death toll climbs to 26, child among dead". Geo News. Archived from the original on 20 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ a b Ali, Imtiaz (23 January 2026). "Gul Plaza fire death toll rises to 67 as search continues for sixth day". Dawn. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ Ali, Imtiaz (23 January 2026). "Death toll from Karachi's Gul Plaza inferno reaches 71; search operation in 'final stages'". Dawn. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "Eyewitness recalls escape as Gul Plaza fire toll hits 71". The Nation. 24 January 2026. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ Shahid, Ariba (24 January 2026). "Karachi mall inferno came after ignored warnings, delayed response". Reuters. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Zeker 11 doden bij brand in winkelcentrum Pakistan, tientallen vermisten" [11 confirmed dead in fire in Pakistan shopping centre, tens missing]. NOS (in Dutch). 19 January 2026. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ "Blaze rages for hours at Karachi's Gul Plaza". Aaj News. 18 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ "Karachi Gul Plaza fire doused after 36 Hours; 54 Still Missing as rescuers race against time". Daily Pakistan. 19 January 2026. Archived from the original on 19 January 2026. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ Imtiaz Ali (25 January 2026). "Death toll from Karachi's Gul Plaza fire rises to 73; 23 identified so far". Dawn. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
- ^ "Recovery of 5 more bodies from Karachi shopping plaza brings fire death toll to 28". AP News. 21 January 2026. Archived from the original on 20 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ Ahmed, A. (19 January 2026). "Pakistan: Gul Plaza fire death toll rises to 14, over 60 feared missing". Gulf News. Archived from the original on 19 January 2026. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ "Hopes fade in fourth day of search for dozens missing in Karachi shopping plaza fire". The Independent. 20 January 2026. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ^ "Karachi's Gul Plaza fire: Death toll jumps to 61 after 30 bodies found in single shop". Dunya News. 21 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ a b Ali, Imtiaz (21 January 2026). "30 bodies recovered from single shop following deadly fire at Karachi's Gul Plaza". Dawn. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ "Karachi mall fire: 30 bodies recovered from gutted shop, death toll tops 60". Hindustan Times. Asian News International. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
- ^ Hussain, Abid (21 January 2026). "Gul Plaza fire: How a deadly inferno exposed Karachi's safety failures". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 20 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ "Gul Plaza blaze death toll rises as building collapses". The News International. 18 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ Ali, Imtiaz (24 January 2026). "'Outcome of negligence and carelessness': Karachi police register FIR of Gul Plaza inferno". Dawn. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ^ "SBCA declares Rimpa Plaza 'unsafe' after devastating Gul Plaza fire". Islamabad Post. 21 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ "At least six killed in Pakistan as fire rips through Karachi shopping mall". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 18 January 2026. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ^ "Karachi shopping plaza fire death toll reaches 28, another 80 missing". The Hindu. Press Trust of India. 20 January 2026. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 20 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ Dilawar, Ismail (23 January 2026). "Women traders face ruin as years of work turn to ash in deadly plaza inferno". Arab News. Retrieved 23 January 2026.