- Post-mortems of 67 bodies completed, says police surgeon.
- Adds 16 victims identified through DNA, ID cards, belongings.
- Fire re-erupted in basement but brought under control: official.
KARACHI: Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori has demanded a judicial inquiry into the Gul Plaza tragedy as the death toll in the deadly inferno rose to 67, with 77 persons still accounted for.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Governor Tessori stated that he would write letters to the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and the Sindh High Court (SHC) to conduct an inquiry into the fire incident.
“Those responsible should be identified and punished without delay,” he added.
His remarks came amid the ongoing rescue efforts, as teams continue to search for more missing persons from the devastating inferno that broke out last Saturday night.
Investigative sources said the fire broke out at a shop selling artificial flowers, where children present were reportedly playing at the time of the incident; however, the final cause has not been declared.
Criticising the Sindh government, the governor said that the administration cannot be absolved of responsibility for the Gul Plaza tragedy.
He also questioned the handling of the incident and its aftermath, saying that those who were responsible were not present at the site when they were needed.
Governor Tessori said that water tankers remained stuck in traffic near Guru Mandir, as highlighted by journalist Arshad Vohra.
“The administration is responsible. People pay taxes and are then expected to tolerate mismanagement. Such incidents will keep happening until rthe esponsible are punished,” the governor said.
Death toll rises to 67
Separately, Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khoso, while speaking to the media outside Gul Plaza, confirmed that 67 bodies have been recovered so far, while 77 persons are still missing. He said the search and rescue operation is in its final stages and is expected to be completed today (Friday).
Police Surgeon Dr Samia Syed said that the post-mortem examination of 67 recovered bodies has been completed, and 16 of them have been identified.
She said that six bodies were identifiable at the time of recovery, while eight victims were identified through DNA testing. Dr Samia said that one body was identified through a national identity card, while another was identified through a locket worn around the neck.
Identification of the remaining bodies is continuing through forensic and DNA analysis, she added.
Senior Fire Officer Zafar Khan told reporters that a fire broke out again in the building’s basement during the operation, but was successfully extinguished.
He said a diesel tank had not been removed from the roof, and the fire erupted while efforts were underway to remove it.
Khan said that the structure of the building has weakened, and rescuers are now recovering bones rather than intact bodies from the rubble.
Probe rules out short circuit
Separately, investigators probing the deadly Gul Plaza fire say the blaze originated inside a shop and was not caused by a short circuit, according to preliminary findings of the inquiry.
Investigative sources said the fire broke out at a shop selling artificial flowers, where children present were reportedly playing at the time of the incident.
“Investigators believe the children were possibly playing with matches or a lighter inside the shop,” sources said, adding that the fire first caught the stored items before spreading to the electrical wiring.
According to the investigation, the fire was not triggered by an electrical fault. As flames spread, people inside the building rushed towards exit points, but panic ensued when several doors were found closed.
The sources further said most shops in the building were open at the time, while a grill installed along the rooftop exit route also hindered evacuation efforts.
The fire severely damaged the building’s CCTV system, rendering it completely non-functional. Investigators have recorded statements from eyewitnesses and affected individuals as part of the ongoing probe.
Families have criticised the slow pace of the recovery operation, with more than 50 giving DNA samples in the hope of finding their missing relatives.
