Gul Plaza fire controlled after 36 hours, death toll rises to 14

A massive fire that erupted at Gul Plaza late Saturday night, have been brought under control after about 36 hours of intense firefight on Monday morning. 

The fire consumed the multi-storey building, which included more than 1,200 shops. According to officials the structure has become highly unsafe and could collapse at any moment, forcing rescue workers to shift focus from active firefighting to debris removal and search efforts.

So far, at least 14 people have died, including a firefighter, while rescue operations are ongoing. Rescue teams have recovered body parts of several victims, including a child, from the rubble, and authorities believe many more may still be trapped inside.

Around 55 to 60 people remain missing, and police are using mobile phone data and family reports to trace them.

Rescue 1122 officials and numerous fire fighters continue to search through the debris despite the risk of collapse. Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah visited the site, expressing grief and promising maximum relief and compensation for the victims. 

The CPLC has set up a help desk outside the Civil Hospital trauma centre to help families of the victims and collect information on missing persons. CPLC officials said DNA testing would be done to identify charred bodies if needed.

Authorities suspect the fire may have started from an electrical short circuit in a shop storing flammable materials, but a full investigation will begin once cooling and rescue efforts are complete.