KARACHI: A district official on Sunday said that a massive blaze at the city’s Gul Plaza shopping mall has been brought under control by about 70 per cent, but firefighters were still busy extinguishing the flames. Authorities have confirmed six deaths so far, including a firefighter, after the fire erupted on Saturday night at the mall located at MA Jinnah Road. Rescue services received call at 10:38pm reporting that ground-floor shops were ablaze. Hundreds of people had gathered around the building, including distraught store owners whose businesses had turned to ash. South Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javed Nabi Khoso confirmed to a DawnNewsTV correspondent that at least six people have died so far, while “around 22” people, including firefighters, were injured. He added that the fire has been brought under control by up to 70pc. Speaking to Geo News a while before, he said their information desk has received the names of 16 missing people from their families so far. “We have cordoned off the area and are trying to extinguish the blazes phase-wise,” DC Khoso said, adding that authorities were gathering information about the number of people trapped inside the building. The Sindh government has established a helpline to report anyone missing due to the fire or to direct their queries, which can be contacted at 0313-5048048, 021-99206372 and 021-99205625. A separate statement by the South Zone police also listed the following helpline contact numbers: 021-99205670, 021-99201196 and 021-99205691. A DawnNewsTV correspondent present at the site reported that all sides of the mall had been impacted, with one having “completely collapsed”. He added that several people had gathered near the site, who had come to look for their relatives, including shopkeepers working at the mall. A firefighter identified as Furqan Shoukat also lost his life during the fire-extinguishing efforts, according to a statement by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab. “In this time of grief, we stand with the family of martyred Furqan and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation will provide full support to its martyred employees,” the mayor was quoted as saying by APP . He said teams and machinery are fully engaged in extinguishing the fire. In a separate statement, Wahab said all municipal departments have been directed to provide full support to the victims. Speaking to the media at the site in the afternoon, Karachi Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad said the search for missing people will begin after the fire has been put out and the cooling process has been completed. Earlier in the day, police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed also confirmed that six bodies and 11 injured had been brought to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) so far. State-run APP reported that an emergency has been declared at the hospital. In a statement run by APP , Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said “more than 17 people” had been taken to hospitals due to suffocation, several of whom were discharged after receiving medical treatment. Noting that Gul Plaza was an old building, he said the final cause of the fire will only be known after the completion of investigations. He added that 40 snorkels were taking part in the operation. Delhi Colony residents Mansoor and Jameel told DawnNewsTV that they were unable to contact six of their family members who had come to Gul Plaza last night for shopping. They said their last contact was at around 10:10pm last night, after which their mobile numbers were not reachable. The missing members comprised three women, two men and a 14-year-old girl. “There were goods such as crockery, clothes, electrical appliances, cosmetics and perfumes in various shops, due to which the fire intensified,” Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan explained. The spokesperson added that on Sunday morning, 20 fire tenders from different departments and institutions were being employed to extinguish the blaze. “But the building appears very old, and there is a danger that its structure may fall anytime because of the impact of the fire. Thus, the rescue operation is being carried out with extreme caution,” he said. “When we arrived, the fire from the ground floor had spread to the upper floors, and almost the entire building was already engulfed in flames,” Khan told Reuters . A Rescue 1122 spokesperson told BBC Urdu early on Sunday that the fire “spread over 8,000 square yards is very intense and the process to extinguish it [fully] could take one to two days”. ‘Seemingly caused by short circuit’ Sindh Inspector General (IG) Javed Alam Odho told reporters at the site that the fire had erupted at around 10:45pm last night. “It appears to have been caused by a circuit breaker,” he said, noting that Gul Plaza housed around 1,200 shops and also had a basement. “The layout and construction of this market was such, and secondly, the nature of the items in it — such as carpets, blankets and other objects made of resins — so the fire is still simmering because of these.” Garden Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Mohsin Raza also said in a statement on Saturday night that the fire appeared to have been caused by a short circuit at one of the shops, before spreading to the entire mall. Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar directed officials to divert traffic in the area to alternative routes for the safe passage of citizens. In a statement, he said that the cause of the fire should be ascertained through a thorough investigation. He said that the building should be secured so that the fire does not spread. The minister said the routes should be cleared so that fire brigade vehicles could access the scene. Smoke rises as a blaze continues to engulf Karachi’s Gul plaza on Sunday morning. — Screengrab from video via Edhii A Sindh Rangers spokesperson said in a statement that personnel had been deployed to the scene of the incident. “Rangers personnel are actively participating in rescue activities and rescue operations along with the fire brigade staff,” the statement, which was issued shortly after the fire erupted, said. “Officers and personnel will remain at the scene until the rescue operation is completed.” The statement further read that in addition to aiding in rescue operations, a contingent of Rangers had been deployed to cordon off the building for the safety of civilians and to ensure traffic flow. “Alongside fire tenders, Rangers personnel are evacuating trapped people and ensuring the safety of valuables,” the statement read, adding that protecting lives and preventing the fire from further spreading was a top priority. On Friday afternoon, at least 20 containers, mostly containing electrical batteries, were destroyed as a huge fire erupted at the Karachi Port Trust (KPT). CM Murad orders inquiry Taking notice of the incident, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah issued orders to the Karachi commissioner for an immediate inquiry into the matter and to prepare a report on the cause of the fire. “The fire safety arrangements in the building should be inspected,” CM Murad was quoted as saying in a statement. He ordered the strict implementation of fire safety rules and action against those whose negligence or carelessness would be proven. “A fire safety audit should immediately be conducted of Karachi’s commercial buildings,” CM Murad said. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had ordered the Sindh CM to deploy all resources to control the fire, APP reported. Expressing grief over the loss of life and property, he offered condolences to the bereaved families and demanded an immediate probe to prevent future tragedies. President, PM vow assistance for affected traders President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed their deep grief over the fire at Gul Plaza and the resulting loss of lives. In a statement reported by APP , PM Shehbaz directed that all possible measures be taken to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property. He further instructed that all possible assistance should be provided to the affected traders and other individuals, and that all necessary facilities should be provided to the injured. He stressed that all relevant departments should work together in the rescue operation. The premier, in a separate statement reported by Radio Pakistan , also expressed sorrow over firefighter Furqan’s death. PM Shehbaz highlighted that Furqan sacrificed his life while saving the public, and prayed for his elevated ranks. In his statement, President Zardari directed that the Sindh government — which is of his PPP — and the relevant authorities “provide immediate and every possible assistance to the affected people and the traders”. “No stone should be left unturned in providing the best medical facilities to the injured,” the statement quoted him as saying. In a statement reported by APP , Memon said the Sindh government will decide the future course of action after a complete assessment of the losses. The minister said that whether it is the trader community or other affected individuals, the government will make every effort to provide maximum possible assistance within the framework of law and regulations. Chief secretary, governor visit site Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah visited the site of the incident earlier in the day to assess the rescue operations. The South deputy commissioner and Rescue 1122 officials briefed him on the steps taken to control the fire. The chief secretary issued orders for the deployment of all available fire tenders and additional rescue workers. Soon after the fire began, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori had also visited Gul Plaza, where he was briefed on the rescue and relief operations. Standing alongside the traders whose shops were ablaze, the governor issued directives for the rehabilitation of the affected. Prior to his visit, in a statement from his office, Tessori expressed concern over the incident and ordered the relevant authorities to immediately expedite rescue and relief operations. He also ordered an immediate report on the incident and firefighting operations, while assuring traders and others affected by the blaze of full cooperation. Frequent fires in city Gul Plaza has witnessed fire incidents in the past as well. In August 2016 , more than 25 shops were burnt in a huge fire that broke out in the multi-storey market. It was believed that a short circuit caused the fire. A fire at a warehouse in Gul Plaza in August 2008 , also caused by an electric short-circuit, destroyed some goods. However, no casualty was reported. Fires frequently erupt in buildings across Pakistan due to a mix of poor infrastructure, weak enforcement of safety regulations, and widespread negligence. Many structures lack proper fire exits, alarms, and emergency protocols, while faulty wiring and overloaded power systems increase the risk of electrical short circuits. At a conference in October 2025 following multiple fire incidents , city planners, fire experts and disaster management authorities raised serious concerns over the deteriorating state of fire preparedness in Karachi. They urged authorities to take immediate action to align the metropolis’s fire safety systems with international standards, warning that the current state leaves the city dangerously exposed to large-scale emergencies. In December, the Sindh Assembly voted unanimously in favour of an opposition-sponsored resolution that called for the comprehensive modernisation of Karachi’s inadequate and substandard firefighting system. This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters. Additional input by Imran Ahad Khan