Death toll rises to 14 in Pakistan shopping mall fire, over 70 still missing

ISLAMABAD — The death toll in the Gul Plaza shopping mall fire in Pakistan's Karachi climbed to 14 on Monday after the rescuers found eight more bodies from the site, local media reported.

The search for over 70 missing people is still underway.

The massive fire that erupted at Gul Plaza on Saturday night.

People have slammed the Sindh government and the Karachi Mayor for the delay in the action.

According to a report by the leading Pakistani daily Dawn, the blaze could have been contained sooner; however, delayed response and limited resources from the administration allowed the fire to rage unchecked for hours.

The report further suggests that traders and area residents said that timely action from the nearest fire station, other civic bodies, and local officials could have saved lives and livelihoods, yet the firefighting operation only picked up in full force early Sunday.

A local told Dawn they were repeatedly told on Saturday night that there was a shortage of water, which hampered the operation.

Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori visited the site on Monday to take stock of the situation. Speaking to the media, he said that "more than 70 people" remained missing.

"The reports of more than 70 missing persons are extremely alarming and constitute a major tragedy," the Governor was quoted as saying by Dawn.

He further mentioned that a pregnant woman was still trapped inside and a search for her is underway, adding that the incident has now turned into a "national tragedy".

South DIG Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that the fire safety operation has been completed. "Cooling process has now started with the removal of debris from the site by KMC, TMC and Pakistan Navy personnel," he said.

The rescue operation is continuing, and further details are awaited.