How the Gul Plaza Tragedy Unfolded: Shocking Revelations Turn Fire into Deadly Disaster

Disturbing details have emerged about how the devastating fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza turned into a major human tragedy, exposing serious safety lapses inside the commercial building.

Affected shopkeepers revealed that the building has a total of **26 entry and exit gates**, but as a routine practice, **24 gates were locked after 10pm**, leaving only **two entrances open**. At the time of the incident, most people inside the building found the usual exits sealed.

Traders said there was **no emergency exit**, and the fire spread **rapidly**, engulfing the entire market in thick smoke within minutes. Panic broke out as visibility dropped to zero and people struggled to find a way out.

According to eyewitnesses, **electricity was switched off** during the fire, worsening the chaos. With darkness and heavy smoke, people were unable to see or understand what was happening. A stampede-like situation developed, and many trapped individuals suffered **severe breathing problems** due to smoke inhalation. Workers and customers were present inside the shops at the time.

Shopkeepers further disclosed that **several people lost consciousness and collapsed** shortly after the fire broke out. In the absence of proper rescue routes, many victims were saved only through **self-help efforts by traders**, who managed to pull people out of the burning building on their own.

It is worth recalling that after the fire was extinguished at **Gul Plaza, located on MA Jinnah Road**, debris removal and search operations for missing persons are still underway. So far, **26 deaths have been confirmed**, while **76 people remain missing**, turning the incident into one of Karachi’s most tragic commercial building disasters.