KABUL: Officials of the Sindh Province, Pakistan, have confirmed that a fire at a multi-story complex in Karachi has been contained after approximately 24 hours.
According to the Associated Press, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah stated that following the full containment of the fire, search and rescue operations for dozens of missing individuals have commenced.
Reports indicate that close to 40 people are unaccounted for following the fire in the Gul Plaza complex.
So far, authorities have recovered the bodies of six individuals, including a firefighter, from the burned structure.
The multi-story building housed approximately 1,200 shops and was reportedly a center for selling cosmetics, clothing, and plastic goods.
While the exact cause of the devastating fire in Pakistan’s largest port city remains unknown, it is believed to have originated from a flower shop and rapidly spread to other areas of the complex.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences regarding the incident and instructed that all possible measures be taken to manage the situation and contain the fire.
The incident follows a similar fire over two years ago in a commercial complex in Karachi, which resulted in at least 10 fatalities and injured 22 others.
Karachi high-rise fire contained after 24 hours; Search for missing underway
