ISLAMABAD: Fire erupted on the ninth floor of the United Bank Limited (UBL) building in Blue Area on Sunday but was controlled before it could spread to other parts of the 15-storey plaza. Police and rescue officials said there were no casualties as the floor had no people due to Sunday.
Vehicles of Capital Development Authority (CDA) Fire and Rescue Department reached the spot within minutes of the report of fire, said an official.
Later, they were joined by fire brigade teams who extinguished flames in an hour-long operation.
“The reason for the fire is not known as the investigation teams would go in after the structure cools down,” said Assistant Commissioner City Muhammad Ali who was supervising the fire fighting operations.
Police and traffic cops cordoned off the area and diverted traffic from the vicinity of the fire fighting operations.
After controlling the fire, the city administration called in a CDA snorkel to spray water in the affected floor to cool down the structure.
Eyewitnesses said that they saw smoke coming out of the ninth floor of the building and then fire fighters arrived within minutes.
Police said the floor, owned by Hashoo Group till June 15 this year, was under renovation. The entrance door to the offices of the company on the burnt ninth floor was locked from inside, said a police official.
The fire fighters broke window panes to let the smoke out. A rescue official said the affected part was partially burnt.
Police said they will start investigations after the building structure is cleared by the CDA officials.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2012.
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