ISLAMABAD: A massive fire tore through a multi-story shopping mall in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi late Saturday and killed at least five people, rescue officials said.

Firefighters and rescue workers rushed to Gul Plaza in Karachi’s Saddar business district upon receiving information about the blaze at around 10pm, according to a Rescue 1122 spokesman.

Television footage showed firefighters in protective gear battling the flames as several fire trucks used ladders, water cannons and hoses to douse the building’s floors, where flames shot out of windows and balconies.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

“More than 20 fire brigade trucks, water bowsers and snorkels are present at the scene and additional firefighting resources have been called in,” the spokesman said early Sunday.

“Over 20 people were injured in the fire and the death toll has now reached five.”

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 result in damages and casualties.

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.

“Due to the old nature of the building, there is a risk of its collapse after being affected by the severe fire,” the Rescue 1122 spokesman said. “The operation is being carried out with extreme caution.”

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.