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. Within minutes, flames—fuelled by combustible gases from cosmetics, clothing, plastic goods, and other combustible merchandise—raced through the multi‑storey shopping complex. 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. Gul Plaza housed 1,200 shops across several floors and was especially crowded due to Karachi’s wedding season. Photo Credit: Wikipedia Creative Commons LicenseCollapsed exterior of Gul Plaza after the fire which destroyed it.

Source: The Telegraph January 26, 2026 19:39 UTC