Gul Plaza fire: Death toll 'rises to 71' as more human remains recovered

KARACHI: The number of fatalities from the Gul Plaza fire has risen to 71 after additional human remains were recovered during the ongoing search operation, ARY News reported on Friday, citing sources at Civil Hospital.

According to hospital sources, human remains were sent to the Civil Hospital a day earlier for DNA profiling. During the post-mortem process, it was assessed that the quantity of recovered remains was greater than initially estimated.

The discovery indicates that the scale of the tragedy may be larger than previously reported, as identification work continues at the hospital.

So far 17 bodies found from Gul Plaza fire site have been identified.

A massive fire at Gul Plaza on M.A. Jinnah Road late Saturday night, January 17, has left the city in shock, claiming lives and leaving many unaccounted for. While the blaze has now been brought under control, the building remains structurally unstable.

Rescue teams, supported by the Army, Rangers, and civil authorities, continue searching for missing persons, while engineers assess the damaged structure.

Authorities have set up help desks and DNA collection centres to assist in victim identification, and families of the missing are coordinating with officials. The situation remains fluid, with new developments expected throughout the day.