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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Islamabad, January 19 (Xinhua) — At least 21 people have been killed in a massive fire at a shopping mall in Karachi, the capital of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, Pakistani officials said on Monday.
According to a spokesperson for the state rescue service Rescue 1122, a large-scale search and rescue operation is ongoing at the Gul Plaza shopping center, where the fire has caused significant damage. There is a risk of further casualties, as the structure remains unstable and large sections have collapsed.
A fire broke out late in the evening of January 17 at the Gul Plaza shopping mall on M.A. Jinnah Road, which houses over 1,200 stores. The fire was brought under control more than 24 hours later, on January 18.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said more than 65 people reported to have been in the mall were still missing.
"We all mourn. We all share their grief," the chief minister said, speaking of the families of the victims.
According to S. M. A. Shah, the provincial government will pay compensation of 10 million Pakistani rupees (about 36,000 US dollars) to the family of each victim.
Fire services said a dedicated fire brigade was continuing cooling operations to ensure safe conditions, while heavy equipment was used to carry out controlled debris removal and create access routes.
According to Rescue 1122, several bodies were found severely charred or dismembered due to the high temperatures and prolonged exposure to the fire, making immediate identification difficult. Technical and forensic procedures will be used to establish their identity.
The cause of the fire is being investigated, but police previously reported that, according to preliminary data, the fire could have been caused by an electrical short circuit. –0–
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