Archive · 24 Jan 2026
Karachi mall fire death toll rises to 71
A big fire happened in a shopping mall in Karachi, Pakistan.
The fire started on January 17 and was very bad.
So far, 71 people have died, and 77 are still missing.
The mall had 1,200 shops and was very crowded because it was wedding season.
Only 3 of the 16 exits were open, which made it hard for people to escape.
Rescue workers are still looking for more people in the building, but it's very dangerous because the fire was so intense.
They think they might find more bodies on the ground floor where the fire started.
The authorities are not sure if the building had a fire safety system or if it worked.
Survivors said the fire brigade's response was delayed and inadequate.
The mall had violated building regulatory standards for over a decade, with authorities warning the situation was dire in the last review two years ago.
The death toll from the Karachi shopping mall fire has risen to 71, with 77 people still missing.
The fire started on January 17 and took nearly two days to be extinguished.
Only 3 of the mall's 16 exits were open during the fire.
Rescue workers have not yet been able to reach the ground floor where the fire started.
The final death toll will be determined once all remains are identified.
- Who
- Rescuers and authorities in Karachi
- What
- A fire at Gul Plaza shopping mall
- When
- January 17, with ongoing search operations
- Where
- Karachi, Pakistan
- Why
- Cause of the fire is not yet determined
- Date of Fire
- January 17
- Death Toll
- 71 (and rising)
- Missing Persons
- 77
- Shops in Mall
- 1,200
- Open Exits
- 3 out of 16
- Fire Start Location
- Artificial flower shop
- Fire Cause
- Children playing with matches (suspected)
