Gul Plaza fire: How a deadly inferno exposed Karachi’s safety failures

Islamabad, Pakistan – A fire that tore through a shopping centre over the weekend in Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, has killed at least 23 people, including a firefighter, as rescuers race to find dozens more still missing.

The city’s biggest fire in more than a decade broke out late on Saturday at Gul Plaza, a three-storey commercial building home to more than 1,200 shops selling a wide range of goods. It took more than 24 hours to fully extinguish the blaze.

City authorities said parts of the building have collapsed and debris and poor ventilation are severely hampering rescue efforts.

Mayor Murtaza Wahab said a formal inquiry would be launched into the fire under the supervision of the city’s commissioner.

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