KARACHI :– The death toll from the massive fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza shopping centre, located at the MA Jinnah Road, has climbed to 26 on Monday, out of which 18 bodies, including that of a firefighter, have been identified.

Twenty-two people were also injured in the Gul Plaza inferno that was brought under control after 33 hours, while more than 70 people are still reported missing.

Due to the horrific blaze, the building was reduced to ashes. Several sections multi-storey building collapsed, pillars were weakened, and concerns arose that the remaining structure could collapse at any time.

Rescue personnel continued search and rescue operations inside the affected building, while debris removal process is also underway.

Meanwhile, an inquiry committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the Karachi Commissioner. The DNA samples for the identification of recovered bodies have been sent to the DNA laboratory at the University of Karachi.

The DNA profiling was conducted at the Karachi Medico-legal Centre. Police Surgeon Dr Sammiya stated that the identification of bodies would be carried out through DNA cross-matching, adding that samples from multiple bodies and their relatives have been collected so far.

It is worth noting that Karachi Police Chief Azad Khan had clarified earlier that initial investigations found no evidence of sabotage. He said that if negligence is found, cases will be registered. He added that rescue operations are being carried out cautiously, saying that no timeframe for their completion can be given.

Chief Fire Officer Humayun Ahmed stated that the main fire at Gul Plaza has been completely extinguished and that cooling operations are currently underway. Limited search operations are also being conducted. The fire, which broke out on Saturday night, continued to rage for 33 hours.

Earlier, all fire brigade vehicles stopped operations on the back side of Gul Plaza after sounds began coming from the building during firefighting operation. The building had become dangerous and there was a risk of collapse, which is why firefighting was halted and only debris removal continued.

Rescue officials said that 90 percent of the fire had been controlled, but work was stopped due to the dangerous condition of the building and the risk of collapse.

The firefighting and rescue operations at Gul Plaza involved the Pakistan Navy, Sindh Rangers, KMC, Rescue Sindh officials, and volunteers, who risked their own lives to save others.