Rescue workers and heavy machinery continue to clear debris at Gul Plaza on MA Jinnah Road following a devastating fire, as authorities fear the death toll could rise further. Photo: PPI
KARACHI:
In a tragic turn of events, at least 30 bodies were recovered from a destroyed shop as rescuers searched the wreckage of Karachi’s Gul Plaza on Wednesday, raising the death toll to 61.
Karachi Deputy Inspector General Asad Raza del Sur said the remains of 30 humans had been recovered from a crockery shop located on the mezzanine floor of the square.
He noted that the removal of debris was suspended and that priority was being given to the recovery of the bodies.
After the fire broke out, people locked themselves inside the store in an attempt to save their lives. The location of his last mobile phone was also traced to the same location.
South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso also confirmed that 20 to 25 bodies were recovered from a crockery shop on the mezzanine floor, adding that the remains were in a severely deteriorated condition and were found during the search operation.
Rescue officials said multiple human body parts were recovered from a shop located on the ground floor of the plaza and were being taken to a hospital.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed grief over the rising death toll and ordered the newly recovered bodies to be immediately shifted to hospital.
He ordered that debris removal be stopped until all the bodies were recovered and all facilities be provided to the bereaved families for the identification and transfer of the bodies.
“There is no substitute for human life, but the government will not leave the affected families alone,” the prime minister said.
According to Dr Samia Syed, a police surgeon, other remains recovered from the rubble are being examined and the death toll could rise further.
Earlier, the police surgeon told Express News that 28 bodies had been received, of which six were initially intact and identifiable. One victim, identified as Tanveer, was confirmed through his CNIC, while DNA samples from the remaining bodies were sent to the Sindh DNA and Serology Forensic Laboratory.
Dr Samia said three more bodies were identified overnight and handed over to their heirs, while three or four additional DNA reports were expected within hours. He noted that the intense fire had severely damaged the DNA, making identification difficult.
The police surgeon maintained that the Sindh DNA Forensic Laboratory was working round the clock and observed that most of the remains were fragmented, requiring more time for DNA extraction.
Dr. Samia said only six or seven bodies were intact. In total, DNA samples were collected from 51 relatives, giving priority to parents and children. If parents or children were not available, siblings were sampled.
The fire that broke out at MA Jinnah Mall on Saturday night continued unabated for 36 hours. According to rescuers, nearly 60 percent of the shopping plaza had collapsed, while the remaining structure remains too fragile to navigate safely.
The shopping center was a building with a ground floor plus three floors with 1,200 stores spread over 8,000 square meters.
The Gul Plaza building was constructed in the 1980s, while a revised plan was approved in 1998. Subsequently, under the Regularization Amendment Ordinance, 2001, the building was formally regularized in 2003 in accordance with the rules and regulations, and the owner obtained a completion certificate on 14 April 2003.
