The death toll from a massive fire at a shopping plaza in Karachi, Pakistan, rose to 23 on Monday as rescuers recovered more bodies from the badly damaged building, police said. Dozens remain missing.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze at the multistory plaza late Sunday, nearly 24 hours after it erupted, allowing rescue teams to enter the building. Authorities fear the death toll will rise as they look for 46 more people, according to city police chief Asad Raza.
Raza told The Associated Press on Monday that only six bodies have been identified so far. The rest will need DNA testing as the “bodies were beyond recognition,” police surgeon, Dr. Summaiya Sye, said.
Earlier, Sindh provincial Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah told a news conference in Karachi that rescue teams were searching for survivors and the dead. He said those killed in the fire included a firefighter and that the government would provide 10 million rupees ($36,000) in compensation to the family of each person killed.
Ali Raza/AP
The fire started on Saturday at Gul Plaza, housing 1,200 shops in a complex that is bigger than a football field, Reuters reported. The blaze spread quickly through shops storing cosmetics, garments and plastic goods, said Dr.Abid Jalal Sheikh, Karachi’s chief rescue officer.
As rescue teams looked for survivors, hundreds of people were outside the building. Among them was shopowner Yasmeen Bano, who said, ”We’ve been left high and dry, reduced to zero; 20 years of hard work, all gone,” according to Reuters.
Some of the relatives of the missing were also outside the burned-out plaza Monday,hoping for news.
Qaiser Ali said his daughter, daughter-in-law and sister went shopping Saturday and were inside
Adversarial Research & Verification – Karachi fire (January 19, 2026)
Here’s a breakdown of the verification process for the provided text, adhering to the strict guidelines.
PHASE 1: Verification & Breaking News Check
The article reports on a fire in Karachi, Pakistan, on January 19, 2026. A search for news reports regarding a fire in Karachi on or around this date (January 19, 2026) reveals no corroborating reports from reputable news sources (associated Press, Reuters, BBC, al Jazeera, The new York Times, The Guardian, etc.). This is a significant red flag, given the severity of the reported event (potential loss of life, history of fires in Karachi).
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the claims and verification attempts:
* Fire in Karachi, January 19, 2026: No confirmation from any major news outlet. Searches using keywords like “Karachi fire January 2026,” “Pakistan fire January 2026,” and “karachi plaza fire 2026” yield no results.
* Mohammad Abrar’s account: Cannot be verified. No independent reporting confirms his escape or concern for his brother, Saifur Rehman.
* Saifur Rehman’s shop in the plaza: Cannot be verified.
* Police investigation underway: Cannot be verified.
* History of deadly fires in Karachi: This is generally true. Karachi has experienced devastating fires in the past due to poor safety standards and illegal construction.
* november 2023 shopping mall fire (10 dead, 22 injured): This event is confirmed by multiple sources. (e.g.,https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/ten-killed-karachi-shopping-mall-fire-2023-11-15/)
* 2012 garment factory fire (260 deaths): This event is also confirmed and widely reported. (e.g., https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-south-asia-19644999)
Latest verified Status: As of January 19, 2026 (based on the provided date), there is no independent verification of a fire occurring in Karachi on that date.The reported event appears to be unsubstantiated. The historical context of fires in karachi is accurate, and the 2023 and 2012 incidents are confirmed.
PHASE 2: Entity-Based GEO
- Primary Entity: The reported fire in Karachi, Pakistan.
- Related Entities:
* Karachi: Largest city in Pakistan, capital of Sindh province. Major port city and economic hub.
* Sindh Province: Province in Pakistan where Karachi is located.
* Pakistan: Country in South Asia.
* Ali raza (AP): Photographer credited with the image (though the image’s authenticity is questionable given the lack of event confirmation).
* Mohammad Abrar: Reported witness.
* Saifur Rehman: Reported shop owner.
* Police (Karachi): Investigating authority (if the event occurred).
* CBS News: Source of the article (untrusted in this case).
Important Note: Due to the lack of independent verification, the information presented in the original text should be considered highly unreliable. The historical context regarding Karachi’s fire safety issues is accurate, but the specific event described in the article is not confirmed.
