Latest on the Gul Plaza Fire in Karachi📍
Rising smoke, locked exits: How Karachi mall inferno trapped victims

Reuters
Rising smoke, locked exits: How Karachi mall inferno trapped victims
Today
Karachi mall fire death toll rises to 23 as rescuers search for dozens missing

AP News
Karachi mall fire death toll rises to 23 as rescuers search for dozens missing
Today
Pakistan mall fire: Children among 26 killed; authorities fear death toll may rise - what we know

The Times of India
Pakistan mall fire: Children among 26 killed; authorities fear death toll may rise - what we know
Today
گل پلازہ میں آگ کیسے لگی، ذمہ دار کون ہے؟ تحقیقاتی کیمٹی کا اجلاس طلب

AAJ News
گل پلازہ میں آگ کیسے لگی، ذمہ دار کون ہے؟ تحقیقاتی کیمٹی کا اجلاس طلب
Today
🔥 What Happened — The Fire Breaks Out
Late on Saturday night (January 17, 2026), a massive fire broke out in Gul Plaza, a large and busy multi-storey shopping complex located on Muhammad Ali Jinnah Road in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The blaze began around 10:15 PM PKT, spreading rapidly through the building’s lower floors before engulfing much of the structure.

The mall, known for its large wholesale and retail trade, housed around 1,200 shops selling garments, electronics, cosmetics, carpets, plastic goods, and other flammable merchandise — factors that helped the blaze intensify quickly.

Witnesses described plumes of thick black smoke rising into the night sky and flames bursting through windows and doors, drawing crowds of horrified onlookers as rescue teams rushed to the scene.

🔥 Why It Spread So Fast
The fire spread rapidly due to a combination of:

Flammable stock inside shops (carpets, plastics, clothing, resins).

Limited ventilation and narrow corridors that trapped smoke and heat.

Locked or blocked exits near closing time, restricting safe escape routes for those inside.

Reports suggest it may have started from a malfunctioning circuit breaker / short circuit in one of the shops, though official investigations continue.

Safety experts and locals also pointed to inadequate fire safety enforcement, outdated wiring, and a lack of functional fire alarms or sprinklers — common issues in many older commercial buildings in Karachi.

🚒 Emergency Response & Firefighting Efforts
Fire and rescue operations involved:

Firefighters from Karachi Metropolitan Corporation

Rescue 1122 teams

Pakistan Navy support

Multiple fire tenders, snorkel vehicles, water bowzers, and ambulances

Despite the deployment of equipment and personnel, rescuers struggled for over 34+ hours to fully