Fire erupted on Saturday night at Gul Plaza shopping center, housing 1,200 shops

ISLAMABAD

Rescue teams continued searching through the charred debris of a major shopping mall in Pakistan’s commercial capital on Tuesday as the death toll from a massive fire rose to 26, with at least 81 people still reported missing, officials said.

A latest list issued by the Deputy Commissioner South office in Karachi showed that 81 people, including women and children, remain unaccounted for, raising fears the toll could rise as search operations continue.

By Monday evening, authorities had recovered 26 bodies from the debris.

Local broadcaster Geo News reported that much of the building had crumbled, forcing authorities to use cranes to demolish unstable sections amid concerns about further structural failure.

The fire broke out at the Gul Plaza shopping center on MA Jinnah Road, a busy commercial artery in Karachi’s historic business district.

The building houses about 1,200 shops, including outlets selling clothing, electrical appliances, cosmetics and crockery, factors that contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze. By Islamuddin Sajid, Anadolu Agencies