Karachi Mall Fire: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has ordered an investigation into the incident. He has directed Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi to conduct a thorough investigation and submit an inquiry report.

Massive fire breaks out in Karachi mall

A massive fire broke out late Saturday night (January 17, 2026) at a shopping mall in Karachi, Pakistan. Six people have died so far in this horrific accident, including a firefighter, and several others have been severely injured. More than 12 hours after the incident, some people are still feared trapped in the building. Fire department personnel are continuously working to rescue them.

Gul Plaza, a multi-story shopping mall located on Karachi's busy MA Jinnah Road, suddenly erupted in flames late Saturday night. The blaze was so severe that plumes of black smoke could be seen from miles away. Upon receiving reports of the incident, firefighters immediately arrived at the scene and began efforts to control the blaze. The fire department's rescue operations continued on Sunday (January 18, 2026).

A huge fire tore through the Gul Plaza mall in Karachi, Pakistan, causing death, injury, and extensive damage.

The plume of smoke was reportedly visible from miles away, while the cause of the blaze remains a mystery.

🔗 https://t.co/a9r91biYmV pic.twitter.com/zsDGN5Dat7

— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 17, 2026

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Sindh IGP gave information about the incident.

Javed Alam Odho, Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Sindh, Pakistan, stated that the massive fire broke out at the Gul Plaza Shopping Mall at around 10:45 pm on Saturday (January 17, 2026). At that time, other shopkeepers in the area had already closed their shops or were closing theirs. However, the cause of this massive fire in the mall will only be revealed after an investigation.

Around 20 people were evacuated from the building and sent to hospital.

Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hasanul Haseeb Khan said that approximately 20 people were pulled out of the flaming building during the rescue operation, and the injured were taken to the hospital. He added that the mall's complex structure posed difficulties in the rescue operations.

Video shows firefighters battling a deadly blaze at a shopping mall in Karachi, Pakistan. A fire tore through the multi-storey Gul Plaza on Saturday night, killing at least five people and injuring dozens. Authorities say the cause remains under investigation. pic.twitter.com/kknaWsehXm

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 18, 2026

According to a report in Pakistan's newspaper Dawn, Khan said that as soon as the heat of the fire in the building subsides and the temperature drops, further rescue operations will be started, but due to the complex structure of the building having hundreds of shops and stores along with its basement and mezzanine floors, it is facing a lot of difficulties in carrying out the rescue operations.

Sindh CM ordered an investigation

Officials said the fire at the shopping mall was 60 percent contained by Sunday afternoon (January 18, 2026). However, the massive fire caused significant damage to the building, with cracks appearing in the walls.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has ordered an investigation into the massive fire. He has directed Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report.