KARACHI: Death toll of massive fire at a Karachi’s old shopping mall Gul Plaza rose to 23 as more bodies were recovered by the rescuers from the badly damaged building, administration and rescue service said.
The rescue operation is still going.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze at the multistory plaza late Sunday, nearly 24 hours after it erupted, allowing rescue teams to enter the building.
Authorities fear the death toll will rise as they look for 46 more people.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced that all the victims of Gul Plaza fire incident will be rehabilitated and the affected building will be rebuilt.
Chairing a meeting in Karachi today on Gul Plaza fire incident, he formed a committee to make recommendations on the amount of compensation and rehabilitation of the victims.
The meeting was briefed that fourteen bodies have so far been recovered from the building.
The meeting decided to form a fact-finding committee to ascertain the cause of the incident.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured the Sindh government of full support of the federal government, underscoring the need for a coordinated fire control system in densely populated urban areas.
He offered the federal government’s assistance in establishing a comprehensive system to prevent such tragedies.
Both leaders expressed their solidarity with the victims and the Sindh government during this difficult time.
