Officials said 30 additional bodies were found after shopkeepers informed police about people trapped on the mezzanine floor. All the bodies were recovered from a crockery shop where victims had locked themselves inside to escape the flames. Their last mobile phone locations also showed the same spot.

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DIG South Asad Raza said the recovered bodies were completely unrecognisable. He added that debris removal has been paused and priority is being given to recovering bodies first. The final count will only be confirmed after DNA testing.

Police Surgeon Dr Samia said that since morning, only human remains have been brought to Civil Hospital, not complete bodies. These include broken bones and damaged teeth, making identification extremely difficult. In many cases, DNA samples cannot be taken due to severe damage.

She explained that without DNA, handing over remains to families is becoming very challenging. So far, remains from two shops have been received, but officials cannot yet confirm how many individuals they belong to.

Dr Samia added that due to intense heat, DNA inside the ‘medullary canal’ has been destroyed. She requested Edhi and Chhipa volunteers to clearly mention the exact shop and floor where remains are found to help identify victims.

So far, six victims were identified by facial features and one through an identity card. In most cases, only gender can be determined. Examination of remains is still ongoing.

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Meanwhile, crockery shop owner Salman said they personally recovered remains of 14 people from their shop. He said many women, employees, and family members were present there at the time of the fire.

This tragedy shows how deadly fires can become in crowded buildings. Identification delays add pain for families. Clear safety checks and exits are now more important than ever.