Gul Plaza blaze death toll climbs to 26, child among dead

Sindh CM announces Rs10m compensation for victims’ families

KARACHI: As the death toll from the Gul Plaza blaze rose to at least 26 on Monday, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah noted dozens were still reported missing and announced Rs10 million in compensation for the victims’ families.

While the fire at the mall located on M.A Jinnah Road was said to be doused after more than 24 hours on Sunday, firefighting efforts had to resume as flames reignited from the smouldering debris.

In separate statements issued shortly after 4pm, Edhi and Rescue 1122 said the death toll from the incident had risen to 26 as more bodies were recovered from the now-gutted shopping plaza. The bodies were being taken to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), the rescue services said.

In a statement, Rescue 1122 Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dr Abid Jalal said that while “more than 20 bodies have been recovered, the final number of dead cannot be stated at the moment”.

“Some bodies have been recovered in the form of body parts from various locations,” he said.

“Until it is determined through a technical and forensic verification whether these parts are of the same person or different people, confirming the correct number [of deaths] is difficult.”

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference with representatives of the business community, Sindh CM Murad announced Rs10 million in compensation for each deceased person’s family.

“There can be no price tag for a person’s life. Their grief cannot be compensated in any way, but we are announcing Rs10m from the government for each person who lost their life,” the Sindh CM said, adding that the process would begin tomorrow.

“Unfortunately, there has been a considerable loss of lives in this incident,” he said. While he refrained from giving a specific number, he said that it could possible be 80.

“We are all sorrowful. We all share their grief,” the chief minister said, referring to the bereaved families.

In his statement, the Rescue 1122 COO said an “integrated, organised and fully technical” search and rescue operation was under way.

Dr Jalal noted that Urban Search and Rescue Units, along with disaster response vehicles, were carrying out the operations under an “approved structural safety protocol”.

“At the site of the incident, three simultaneous search operations are under way at five different locations pointed at,” the statement said.

It noted that a special team was “continuously engaged in firefighting and cooling processes” so that the rescue operation could be conducted safely.

The Rescue 1122 officer further said “heavy resources” were being utilised to remove the rubble in a controlled manner and create access to the charred building.

Dr Jalal observed that the mall’s structure has been “affected to a great degree” and is currently unstable. “There is a risk of collapse at any time,” he cautioned.

While addressing the media, CM Murad announced that an inquiry committee was being set up to probe the incident, headed by Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi.

He asserted that the inquiry’s aim was not to point blame but to acknowledge and correct one’s mistakes. Staff Report