Rescue personnel seen at the site of a fire at Gul Plaza in Karachi, Pakistan, on Sunday. Officials said Monday that at least 14 people were killed in the blaze. Photo by Shahzaib Akber/EPA
Jan. 19 (UPI) — At least 14 people are dead following a massive fire that erupted at a shopping plaza in Karachi over the weekend, Pakistani officials said Monday, while dozens remain missing, according to reports.
The fire began Saturday night at the Gul Plaza on M.A/ Jinnah Road and was mostly put out 24 hours later, permitting a search for survivors through the remains of the building, Dawn reported.
Authorities said at least 14 people were dead, with between 54 and 59 people remaining unaccounted for, The Express Tribune reported.
Deputy Inspector General South Asad Raza told reporters that police have obtained the cell numbers of the 59 people missing and have traced the locations of 26 of them near the plaza.
“Further scrutiny is underway,” he said, according to The Tribune.
Gul Plaza is a prominent multi-story shopping center with more than 1,200 shops in Gazdarabad, which is part of the historic Saddar Town district of Karachi, Pakistan’s most populous city.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, though some officials suspect it may have erupted from an electrical short circuit.
“It is too early to determine the exact cause,” Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement that he has directed federal institutions to provide “complete support” to the local government.
“In this time of grief and hardship, we stand with the affected people and the Sindh government,” he said.
“A coordinated and effective system is absolutely essential to bring fires under control in densely populated urban areas in a timely manner.”
Search operations were continuing.