Massive fire engulfs dozens of shops at a shopping mall in southern Pakistan, killing 3 people

(17 Jan 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ++CLIENTS PLEASE NOTE: ALL WAS FILMED AFTER MIDNIGHT, SO DATE HAS BEEN CORRECTED TO 18 JANUARY++ ASSOCIATED PRESS Karachi - 18 January 2026 ++NIGHT SHOTS++ 1.Various of firefighters extinguishing fire with water at shopping mall Gul Plaza 2. Flames 3. Fire engines arriving 4. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Mohammad Ahsan, shopkeeper in Gul Plaza: "Around 10 p.m. (local time, 1700GMT), we told the customers that we are closing the shop. I saw that fire is erupting at gate number 5, then we tried to stop it by extinguisher but we couldn't stop it and the fire engulfed the entire building." 5. Articles recovered from shops 6. Various of firefighters extinguishing fire 7. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Danish Khan, rescue workers: "Fire cannot be extinguished yet. We have recovered three bodies and we are getting information from people that some people are still trapped in the building. Let's see." 8. Various of people watching rescue efforts 9. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Dr. Abid Sheikh, Director of Sindh Emergency Rescue Service: "We are trying our level best to extinguish the fire as soon as possible. Firefighters are conducting a rescue operation from all sides of the building. We are trying to get the fire under control as soon as possible." 10. Various of fire in building and firefighters hosing it down STORYLINE: A massive fire swept through a multi-story shopping mall in Pakistan’s largest southern city of Karachi late Saturday, killing at least three people and injuring about a dozen others, police and rescue officials said. Firefighters and rescue workers rushed to the Gul Plaza shortly after 10 p.m. following reports of the blaze, police and rescuer officials said. According to the local media, most shop owners were closing their stores or had already left when the fire broke out and spread quickly. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Police said an investigation would be launched once the blaze was extinguished. However, most structures in Karachi, and other parts of the country, lack fire prevention and firefighting systems, which often results in damages and casualties. TV footage showed firefighters in protective gear battling the flames. Several fire trucks used ladders, water cannons and hoses to douse the building’s floors, where flames shot out of windows and balconies. Thick black smoke billowed into the night sky and was visible from several blocks away, according to an Associated Press reporter at the scene. 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. 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. AP Video shot by Muhammad Farooq =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...