Lahore shopping plaza blaze extinguished after hours long effort

LAHORE: In a major firefighting operation 25 fire tenders extinguished a major blaze at a shopping mall in Gulbarg here, ARY News reported on Monday.

A blaze engulfed four floors of a shopping mall in Gulbarg area of Lahore last night. The city’s fire brigade with sixty firemen and 25 fire engines initiated a firefighting operation, which was continued for more than eight hours.

A snarkle, aerial platform and special fire vehicles were also present in the operation monitored by the deputy commissioner.

“The blaze in the shopping mall has been extinguished and cooling process initiated after firefighting,” a spokesperson of the rescue department has said.

“Over 60 rescue officials took part in the operation, which was also participated by the rescue teams from the nearby districts,” spokesperson said. “The plazas adjacent to the affected building have been completely safe,” the spokesperson further said.

“The shopping mall lacking the firefighting and other safety arrangements,” official said.

During the firefighting operation, the police detained the security in-charge of the plaza and an employee over creating hurdles in the rescue work.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has directed the officials to initiate inquiry into the shopping mall fire incident and submit findings with regard to the cause of the blaze.