Six killed in massive fire at Pakistan shopping centre

Firefighters in Pakistan’s largest city are struggling to extinguish a massive blaze that has killed six people and reduced parts of a shopping mall in Karachi’s historic center to rubble.

As firefighters worked through the night to prevent the fire from spreading in the busy business district on Sunday, videos showed flames rising from the building.

Hundreds of people gathered around the building, including distraught store owners whose businesses were reduced to ashes.

The fire broke out at 22.38 on Saturday night when rescue teams received a call reporting that shops on the ground floor of Gul Plaza were on fire.

“By the time we arrived, the fire from the ground floor had spread to the upper floors and almost the entire building was engulfed in flames,” Rescue 1122 spokesman Hassanul Haseeb Khan told Reuters.

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said six bodies and 11 injured people were brought to the Karachi Civil Hospital, adding that the police had “activated mass disaster protocols”.

Footage of the mall’s interior revealed the charred remains of stores and a bright orange glow as flames continued to rise throughout the building.

Local media reported that parts of the building had begun to collapse and rescue workers feared the entire structure would collapse.