WATCH: Fire fueled by clothing and homewares kills several at Pakistan shopping plaza
At least three people were killed and dozens injured after a fire broke out at a shopping plaza in Karachi on Saturday night.
The blaze started around 10 p.m. local time as vendors were closing their shops.
A large fire tore through a multi-storey shopping centre in Karachi, killing at least three people and injuring around a dozen others, according to police and rescue officials, News.Az reports, citing ABC.Net.
Firefighters and emergency teams were dispatched to Gul Plaza shortly after 10 p.m. local time on Saturday following reports of the blaze, officials said.
Gul Plaza is a wholesale market that sells home decor, clothing, toys and electronics.
According to local media, most shop owners were closing their stores or had already left when the fire broke out and spread quickly.
Shopkeeper Mohammad Ahsan said he was telling customers he was shutting when the fire started.
"I saw that fire is erupting at gate number five, then we tried to stop it by extinguisher but we couldn't stop it and the fire engulfed the entire building."
Authorities said the fire spread rapidly after erupting in an area of the mall where shopkeepers had stored imported garments, clothing and plastic household goods, which helped fuel the flames.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known and police said an investigation would be launched once the blaze was extinguished.
Rescue worker Danish Khan said crews were working to control the fire.
"We have recovered three bodies and we are getting information from people that some people are still trapped in the building. Let's see."
Thick black smoke billowed into the night sky and was visible from several blocks away, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene.
Several fire trucks used ladders, water cannons and hoses to douse the building's floors, where flames shot out of windows and balconies.
Most structures in Karachi, and other parts of the country, lack fire prevention and firefighting systems, which often results in damages and casualties.
Karachi is the capital of southern Sindh province, where such incidents are common.
In November 2023, a fire tore through a shopping mall in the city, killing 10 people and injuring 22 others.
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