Relatives of those still missing after the Gul Plaza fire searched the site and hospitals in Karachi on Sunday, saying they had been in contact with their loved ones the night before, but their phones were now switched off.
A large number of anxious family members were seen outside the Burns Centre at Civil Hospital, fearing that several people may still be inside the building more than a day later, after the blaze erupted on MA Jinnah Road.
A man searching for six members of his family told Geo News that the group had visited the plaza for wedding shopping and were last contacted at 10:10pm while on the second floor selecting utensils.
“They were on the second floor when communication was lost,” he added.
Another man, searching for his nephew at Burns Centre, said his relative was trapped inside the plaza but remained in contact until midnight.
“We have been looking for him since 11pm last night. He was in contact with us until midnight and kept updating us about the intensity of the blaze and seeking help.”
“The fire initially broke out on the ground floor, spread to the second floor, and later, the generator on the third floor exploded,” the man said while quoting his missing nephew.
One woman, still in shock, told Geo News she found out around 9 o’clock that her young son had gone missing while he was on his way to church.
“I found out at 9 o'clock. My son was going to church. People gathered and said, ‘There is a problem like this, don’t you know? Come quick, Churchill is missing,’” she said. “My son. There is no information about him.”
Two other women said their relatives were also unaccounted for as the fire continued to burn inside the building.
“My brother-in-law, her husband, is missing,” one of the women said when asked who they were searching for. When asked about his work, she said he was employed at a shop dealing in showpieces.
The other woman said two children were believed to be with him at the time. “There are two kids with him, Haider Ali and Khizer Ali,” she said.
When asked whether they worked at the same shop, the women confirmed the three were together. “Yes, all three of them worked together,” she said, adding they were also related to the family.
The fire broke out at Gul Plaza at around 10:45pm on Saturday and had not been brought under control by Sunday morning, with rescue officials saying they could not yet confirm how many people might still be inside.
Six people, including a firefighter, had died, while 20 others were injured and shifted to hospital, with some said to be in critical condition. Officials warned on Sunday that the toll may rise as several remain trapped inside.
