A fire at a shopping centre in the Pakistan city of Karachi has killed six people as firefighters continue to battle the blaze.
Parts of the Gul Plaza, containing 1,200 stores and spanning 8,000 sq m (86,111 sq ft), have collapsed, hampering rescue efforts, according to officials.
One firefighter is among the deceased, and more than 20 people have been reported injured. There are fears that some individuals may still be trapped inside the multi-storey mall.
Local emergency services reported that when firefighters arrived at the scene, the fire from the ground floor had spread to the upper floors, and almost the entire building was already engulfed in flames.
Smoke continued to billow from the remains of the Gul Plaza building into the following morning.
Hassan Khan, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122 in Karachi, mentioned that the shopping centre contained flammable materials like plastic foam, cloth, carpets, and perfume, making the firefighting efforts particularly challenging.
Currently, 20 fire engines are engaged in trying to control the blaze, although there are concerns about the possibility of further collapse of the mall structure.
Summaiya Syed, Karachi's police surgeon, shared that six bodies have been taken to the city's Civil Hospital, along with several injured individuals. She added that the police are invoking mass disaster protocols.
In response to the tragedy, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his condolences and instructed the government of Sindh province to carry out a thorough review of safety measures in commercial and residential buildings in the area.
