Karachi Shopping Center Fire Kills 3, Injures Dozen; Safety Concerns Mount

• A massive fire at Gul Plaza, a multi-story shopping center in Karachi, Pakistan, resulted in three deaths and approximately a dozen injuries.
• The fire, reported around 10 PM on Saturday, spread rapidly due to stored imported clothes, ready-made garments, and plastic household items.
• Eyewitnesses reported seeing flames erupt from Gate Number Five, quickly engulfing the entire building despite initial attempts to extinguish it.
• Dense black smoke was visible for several kilometers, and rescue teams recovered three bodies, fearing more people might be trapped inside.
• The incident highlights severe fire safety system deficiencies in Karachi buildings; a similar mall fire in November 2023 killed 10.

Why It Matters: A deadly fire at Karachi's Gul Plaza underscores critical fire safety failures in Pakistan's commercial buildings.