Collapsed exterior of Gul Plaza after the fire which destroyed it. Date 22 January 2026 Source Press Conference on Saniha Gul Plaza Karachi, Dr Ashraf Asif Jalali, 22 January 2026 Author Dr Muhammad Ashraf Asif Jalali Camera location 24° 51′ 54.36″ N, 67° 01′ 26.76″ E Kartographer map based on OpenStreetMap.

26 Jan 2026

Karachi mall fire becomes one of Pakistan’s deadliest as confirmed death toll climbs to 67

A catastrophic fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza has become one of the deadliest urban disasters the city has faced in more than a decade, with the confirmed death toll rising to 67 as rescuers continue to sift through the collapsed, smoke‑blackened structure.

The fire started Saturday evening January 17, 2026, at a time when most shopkeepers were closing for the day or had already left. Within minutes, flames—fuelled by combustible gases from cosmetics, clothing, plastic goods, and other combustible merchandise—raced through the multi‑storey shopping complex. Witnesses described a sudden, suffocating wall of smoke that plunged the building into darkness and chaos.

By Thursday, police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed confirmed that 67 deaths had been verified, noting that many remains were found only in fragments, complicating identification. Senior police official Asad Raza corroborated the toll.

Police have cordoned off the area, warning that the building—parts of which have collapsed—is too dangerous to enter. Rescue teams have been cutting through walls and debris, often needing hours to make progress that would normally take minutes due to the risk of triggering further collapse. Thermal imaging cameras have detected temperatures as high as 1,500°C, indicating the intensity of the blaze and the condition of the remains.

How the Fire Spread

Preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have originated in a ground‑floor shop selling artificial flowers. Some reports indicate that children playing with matches may have accidentally ignited the goods, though police have also suggested a possible electrical short circuit. The exact cause remains under investigation.

Gul Plaza housed 1,200 shops across several floors and was especially crowded due to Karachi’s wedding season. Witnesses told reporters that many of the mall’s 16 exits were locked, a routine practice after closing hours, leaving shoppers and workers with few escape routes. Overcrowded stalls and poor ventilation further accelerated the disaster.

n November 2023, a shopping mall fire killed 10 people and injured 22, while one of Pakistan’s worst industrial disasters—the 2012 Baldia Town factory fire—claimed at least 260 lives.

Officials say the search is nearing its final phase, though dozens remain unaccounted for. Some reports indicate the toll may rise further as debris removal continues. The Sindh government has signaled that the building will be sealed and likely demolished once recovery operations conclude.

Calls for a judicial inquiry have intensified, with local leaders demanding accountability.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia Creative Commons License

Collapsed exterior of Gul Plaza after the fire which destroyed it.

Date: 22 January 2026

Source: Press Conference on Saniha Gul Plaza Karachi, Dr Ashraf Asif Jalali, 22 January 2026

Author: Dr Muhammad Ashraf Asif Jalali

Camera location

24° 51′ 54.36″ N, 67° 01′ 26.76″ E