Rescue teams hope to recover more bodies from the ground floor, where the fire started.
Members of rescue and emergency teams gather near heavy machinery before beginning their search for survivors, following a massive fire that broke out at the Gul Plaza shopping mall in Karachi on January 22. Photo: Reuters
KARACHI:
The death toll from the Gul Plaza fire rose to 71 as rescue teams recovered additional human remains during ongoing search operations, with authorities expecting the final clean-up of the building to be completed by today (Friday).
According to the head of the identification office of the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), Amir Hassan, four bags containing human remains were brought to the hospital during the night. “These remains could belong to four individuals,” he said, adding that the death toll could reach 71 dead.
Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said the identities of 16 people had been confirmed. Six bodies have been fully identified, she added, including one using an identity card and nine people identified through DNA testing. A total of 45 DNA samples were taken from bodies and body parts.
Read: Search at Gul Plaza enters fifth day with 67 bodies recovered so far
Deputy Commissioner South, Javed Nabi Khoso said the final list of missing persons stands at 77. He added that the search operation is in its final stages and the work of searching the debris will be completed by today.
An SBCA team was deployed to the site, with all work carried out under their supervision, Khoso said.
Meanwhile, DG Secours 1122 said that around 10-15% of the building had not been reached before, but these sections will be searched today. He expressed concern that the ground floor, where the fire broke out, was not yet accessible, saying the bodies would have to be recovered there.
“Days have passed since the tragedy, there is no hope that anyone will survive,” he said.
The DG confirmed that the fire broke out in a flower shop and that initial findings indicate that it spread via a conduit.
He said when emergency crews arrived on scene, the fire was third degree. “No suit in the world can withstand a third-degree fire. The most advanced suits and masks in the world were used,” he said.
Revealing that the building did not have a fire safety system and was not functional, the DG said a GPS radar was used for the last three days to check if anyone was alive inside the building.
Learn more: Gul Plaza fire causes 100 billion rupees losses, 1,000 shops destroyed
The death toll rose to 67 yesterday as rescue teams continued recovery operations for a fifth straight day amid fears more remains could be buried under the rubble.
About 80% of the site has been excavated, according to rescue officials, and large debris from nearly 40% of the collapsed portion remains to be cleared.
The fire, which broke out on Saturday evening, destroyed the commercial square and seriously damaged it.
Human remains were recovered from the rubble during debris removal and were transferred to Karachi Civil Hospital for medico-legal procedures.
