KARACHI: Amid the grief and devastation caused by the Gul Plaza inferno, rescue personnel reported an unusual scene inside the shopping centre’s mosque, where copies of the Holy Quran were found intact despite the massive fire.
Read More: Karachi rescue teams clear Gul Plaza basement after deadly fire
The blaze, which erupted late on Saturday and continued to smoulder through Monday, has so far claimed at least 26 lives and left dozens missing as rescue efforts and debris clearance entered their fourth day.
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After firefighters gained access to the building’s first floor, video footage recorded by a rescuer began circulating on social media showing stacks of Holy Quran copies inside the mosque that remained unburned. The rescuer is seen carefully relocating the sacred texts while confirming no casualties were found inside the prayer space.
“The mosque on the first floor has been cleared, and no person was present,” the official is heard saying in the footage, adding that the mosque showed no fire damage. He said the video was captured around 11pm on Monday amid rumours that some people may have been trapped inside the mosque.
Rescue personnel noted that the building’s structure had been severely weakened by sustained heat, with floors and walls at risk of collapse. Teams moved cautiously through the smoke-filled corridors while continuing the search for missing individuals.
Authorities confirmed that 20 of the 26 deceased have been identified, while dozens remain unaccounted for. Rescue 1122 and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation officials said operations would continue until all areas of the building were accessed and the missing accounted for.
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The incident has sparked widespread mourning and raised concerns over fire safety standards in commercial buildings across Karachi, with inquiries already underway into possible negligence and enforcement failures.