Overview
- Firefighters contained the blaze after more than a day of burning at a complex housing about 1,200 shops, with sections collapsing and the remainder deemed unstable.
- The confirmed toll stands at a minimum of 11 dead, including one firefighter, while some reports put fatalities at 14 and roughly 60 people remain unaccounted for.
- Rescuers say merchandise such as plastic foam, fabrics and perfumes fueled rapid fire spread, and officials report the center lacked adequate ventilation.
- Authorities suspect an electrical short circuit as the ignition source, though the cause has not been formally determined.
- President Asif Ali Zardari ordered a comprehensive review of safety rules for commercial and residential buildings in response to the disaster.