Police suspect murder-suicide as woman tried to kill self previously.PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE: A woman and her three minor daughters died in a fire while her husband suffered critical burns inside their house in Kot Lakhpat on Friday with police suspecting a murder-suicide case.
Police said the fire broke out at a house near Noor Mahal Marriage Hall on Ferozepur Road at around 11 pm. Within minutes, the blaze turned into an inferno and engulfed the whole building.
Rescuers and firefighters arrived at the spot after getting information and controlled the fire after one hour. After extinguishing the flames, the rescue teams evacuated the family stranded inside the house.
Police said a woman identified as Saima, 35, and her three-year-old daughter Iman, were found dead on the spot. Two more girls Minahil, 5, and Kainat, 7, and their father Mazhar, 45, were shifted to the Lahore General Hospital with severe burns injuries.
Later they were taken to the Jinnah Hospital, where Minahil and Kainat also succumbed to their injuries during treatment. Doctors have termed the condition of Mazhar to be critical as well.
Investigators are trying to ascertain the exact cause of the fire as the deceased woman had attempted suicide a few months ago by setting herself on fire. A case against her was already registered at the Kot Lakhpat police station.
Police said this was the second marriage of Saima and the couple used to quarrel often over domestic disputes. A murder case has been registered and police are investigating the matter keeping in view several angles.
Similar cases
This is not the first incident of a small fire turning deadly in the metropolis. Five members of a family died in Lohari Gate on January 14 when the house of a fruit seller in Jhanda Bazaar caught fire.
A man, his wife, their two sons and a daughter, and their aunt were burnt alive while sleeping on the fourth floor.
Three teenage workers were killed when the boiler of a bakery exploded in Shahpur Kanjran, Chung on September 17. Workers were boiling milk at the production unit when the explosion took place and died on the spot.
On November 10, three workers were burnt alive inside a garment factory in Shafiqabad.
Data available with The Express Tribune shows over 3,390 fires were reported in Lahore from January 1 till December 22, in which 26 lives were lost and 219 victims suffered burns. Property and valuables worth an estimated Rs911 million were damaged in 854 fire incidents in commercial areas and 1,058 in residential areas.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Jam Sajjad Hussain said violation of building bylaws and ignoring safety protocols was the fundamental reason behind fire incidents.
“Plaza owners who spend Rs5 billion for construction should also bother to spend Rs5 million for safety,” he said sarcastically. “Building bylaws state residents should be informed and trained on monthly basis about fire safety measures.”
Bylaws further state a proper fire extinguishing system and sprinkling system must be installed inside a building and the map pasted outside the building for helping firefighters on how to make start a rescue operation.
Jam Sajjad also appealed to media not to publish short-circuit as the cause of fire until investigations were completed as builders used these news reports to claim insurance.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2016.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ