‘Careless act’ triggered Gul Plaza fire; legal action likely against shop owner

WEB DESK: Investigations into the catastrophic fire at Gul Plaza have revealed that the blaze may have started due to a minor act of negligence, which quickly escalated into one of the city’s deadliest commercial fires in recent years.

Sources say the fire originated in a store selling artificial flowers, where the owner had left his son in charge. The boy and a friend were allegedly playing with a matchstick or lighter, which ignited the shop’s inventory and set the fire in motion.

Once the fire broke out, it spread swiftly throughout the building. Investigators noted that 9 out of 13 emergency exits were locked, trapping many inside and worsening the casualties.

Authorities are reportedly considering including the shop owner in the FIR related to the fire, given the circumstances leading up to the tragedy. Investigations continue into how the fire spread so quickly and why critical safety measures failed.

Identification of Gul Plaza Fire Victims Remains a Challenge

The process of identifying victims of the tragic Gul Plaza fire has proven extremely difficult, as over 15 individuals’ remains cannot be matched to DNA samples, according to medico-legal sources. A special committee formed under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner South has begun work on the handover of bodies and remains to the victims’ families.

The committee includes the Assistant Commissioner Garden, Mukhtiar Kar, DSP Garden, a representative from the Police Surgeon’s Office, and two members of the Gul Plaza administrative committee. Decisions regarding the release of bodies and remains will be finalized by this panel.

So far, the Sindh Forensic DNA Laboratory has issued only 16 DNA reports, while a total of 25 victims have been identified out of the 73 bodies and remains recovered from the rubble. The painstaking process continues as authorities strive to provide closure to grieving families amid the scale of the disaster.

Search ends, questions remain

Authorities have concluded the search and rescue operation at Karachi’s Gul Plaza on the tenth day of the deadly fire, as debris removal continues and the death toll stands at 73. Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso said the search inside the building has been completed, with heavy machinery still clearing rubble. The damaged commercial plaza is expected to be sealed.

Of the 73 victims, 23 have been identified so far, including 17 through DNA testing, while the identification process remains ongoing. Officials said delays persist as families of 13 out of 79 reported missing persons have yet to provide DNA samples. In cases where identification is not possible, deaths will be legally verified through investigation committees and the courts.

Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan confirmed that all shops on every floor were thoroughly searched. Meanwhile, MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar called the incident a “national tragedy”, urging a judicial inquiry led by Supreme Court judges and renewed scrutiny of urban safety and accountability in Karachi.