Dozens of people are still missing in the fire that started on Saturday night.
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At least 21 people have died in a fire at a shopping mall in Karachi, Pakistan, local media reported. Dozens of people are still missing after the blaze that broke out on Saturday night. Firefighters were among the dead, according to local media.
It took firefighters more than 24 hours to put out the fire at Gul Plaza in Karachi. The BBC reported that the building, which is spread over an area of about 8,000 square meters, houses more than 1,200 shops.
Rescue operations were hampered by the collapse of a large part of the building, officials said, adding that the rubble and lack of ventilation were hampering rescue efforts. According to local emergency services, most of the building was already engulfed in flames when rescue teams reached the scene.
So far, 60 families have filed complaints claiming that their relatives were missing. The local administration has set up a help desk to collect details of the missing. According to police, at least 26 people were confirmed to be inside the building at the time of the fire based on mobile location.
How did the fire spread?
According to Rescue 1122 spokesman Hassan Khan, the fire spread rapidly due to flammable materials such as plastic, clothes and perfume inside the building. Smoke was still coming out of some parts of the building as of Sunday evening and there was a risk of further collapse of the structure.
Cranes were used to remove the debris, but search operations were hampered by intense heat and smoke. Local businessman Jain said hundreds of people were inside the building when the fire broke out and many of his friends were still unaccounted for.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the incident and directed the Sindh provincial government to conduct a detailed review of safety standards in commercial and residential buildings. The Sindh government has announced a compensation of one million Pakistani rupees (about 480,000 Nepalese rupees) to the families of the deceased.
