KARACHI: The confirmed death toll of the Gul Plaza blaze stood at 50 on Thursday, according to an official list shared by police surgeon Summaiya Syed, a day after several bodies were found in a gutted crockery shop at the shopping mall.

Initially, police had estimated that the remains, charred beyond recognition, were of 30 individuals. Karachi South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza had said that the death toll was estimated to have risen from 31 to 60 following the development, but he had also cautioned that a definite number could only be reached after DNA reports.

The list shared by Dr Syed on Thursday showed that the death of 50 individuals had been confirmed so far.

Meanwhile, a search operation at Gul Plaza continued. It was initiated on Sunday night after around 24-hour-long efforts to extinguish the fire that erupted on Saturday night.

The plaza, parts of which have collapsed due to the blaze, was a ground-plus-three-storey building with 1,200 shops spread over 8,000 square yards.

Relatives of those still missing have criticised the slow operation at the three-storey plaza, where rescuers are scouring the wreckage for human remains.

Faraz Ali, whose father and 26-year-old brother were inside the mall, told AFP he wants “the bodies to be recovered and handed over to their rightful families”.

“That is all so that the families may receive something, some comfort, some peace. At least let us see them one last time, in whatever condition they are, so that we may say our final goodbye,” the 28-year-old said.

Some families also staged a protest outside Gul Plaza on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Edhi Foundation said in a statement that three more bodies, which were kept in its morgue after they were pulled from the rubble, had been identified through DNA tests.

One of the three identified deceased men ran a gift shop in Gul Plaza while the other two were employed at different shops in the shopping mall, the statement said.

It added that the bodies had been handed over to the heirs.

SBCA begins fire safety assessments

The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), meanwhile, said it had initiated fire safety assessments in Karachi on the directives of Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah.

A statement issued by SBCA Director General (DG) Muzammil Halepoto’s office said fire safety arrangements in 35 of the city’s buildings, including both residential and commercial ones, had been carried out.

It quoted Halepoto as saying that the “functionality of firefighting and emergency systems” was being assessed in the exercise and notices for corrective measures would be issued to the owners of buildings with faulty fire safety systems.

Halepoto further stated that fire safety notices had been issued for 266 buildings in Karachi, which also included those covered in a Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) survey. He recalled that the KMC had also issued directives to builders, building owners and unions in January 2024 to ensure fire safety.

The official warned that buildings lacking firefighting tools and safety measures within the given time would be sealed.

The SBCA DG asserted that fire safety assessments would continue in the city to ensure emergency preparedness.

Inquiry committee visits gutted plaza

Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, the convener of an inquiry committee formed by the Sindh government to probe the circumstances of the fire, visited the gutted plaza yesterday. Karachi Additional Inspector General Azad Khan, who is also a member of the committee, accompanied the commissioner.

Speaking to the media, the Karachi commissioner said the inquiry had just begun. He highlighted the building’s condition, saying the Rimpa Plaza, located adjacent to the plaza, had also been affected. However, he said that Rimpa Plaza had not yet been declared dangerous.

Naqvi lamented that the fire safety measures inside the buildings did not adhere to international standards.

The additional Karachi IG, meanwhile, said that no evidence of sabotage had emerged so far.

“We are investigating the incident thoroughly,” he said. He refuted media reports that two dumper trucks transporting debris from the plaza to KMC ground had disappeared.

KMC’s Zafar Khan also spoke to the media, saying the firefighting team was still working on the plaza despite the presence of “extreme heat” while cooling work was also ongoing on two spots.

He said one portion of the building had been cleared, while two other portions were in the process of being cleared.

“We will try to retrieve the bodies buried under the debris,” he vowed, adding that firemen were being sent to the spots where the building’s structure was still stable.

He also refuted claims alleging that the fire brigade had a delayed response to the fire. He said three fire tenders were sent as soon as information was received about the fire on Saturday night.

Khan further added that shopkeepers had created a chaotic situation and were allegedly snatching pipes from firefighters to extinguish the flames at their own shops.

He said that the door leading to the building’s roof was locked, therefore, people were unable to access it. He said that the market was meant to be closing when the fire erupted, which was why all the exits were closed.

Additional input from AFP