At least six killed in Karachi shopping mall fire in Pakistan | Construction news

Pakistani leaders mourned as firefighters battled a massive blaze in Karachi.

A fire at a shopping mall in Karachi has killed at least six people and injured around 20 others, Pakistani officials said, as firefighters battled to contain the blaze.

A fire broke out at Gul Plaza shopping mall, a dense commercial complex, on Saturday and continued to burn for hours. As of early Sunday morning, officials said crews had about 30 percent of the fire under control.

South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza told Dawn newspaper that the death toll has risen to five from the initial three. The Edhi Foundation, a medical complex, later confirmed the sixth death in a statement.

Rescue officials said the mall has approximately 1,200 stores, raising fears that people may still be trapped inside. The Edhi Foundation said part of the building collapsed due to the intensity of the fire, hampering rescue efforts.

Garden sub-division police officer Mohsin Raza said that according to preliminary findings, the fire started due to a short circuit in one of the shops and spread rapidly throughout the complex.

He said the exact cause must be determined through a detailed investigation and warned that the structure must be secured to prevent further damage.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of life.

In a statement carried by PTV, Sharif ordered authorities to take “all possible measures” to protect lives and property, provide relief to affected traders and ensure medical care for the injured.

Zardari called on the government of Sindh province, whose capital is Karachi, to provide “immediate and all possible assistance” to them, saying: “No stone should be left unturned to provide the best medical care to the injured.”