At least 7 killed as fire breaks out in construction company office

Rescuers shifted 14 injured to nearby hospitals for emergency medical treatment

LAHORE: At least seven people were killed and 14 injured Wednesday as a result of a fire that broke out in labour quarters of a private construction company working on the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) project in Mahmood Booti area of Lahore.

The fire erupted in labour quarters behind pre-casting yard of the Habib Construction Services (HCS), the civil contractor of the OLMT package-1 (from Chaburji to Dera Gujjran). Residents of the area said flames started to erupt on the upper floor of the building, which was being used as barracks for construction workers. “Whole floor engulfed in flames in a couple of minutes and trapped dozens of workers inside. At least two people died as they jumped off the building,” a resident told The Express Tribune.

Rescue 1122 removed seven bodies from the site that could not be identified till filing of this report. At least 14 injured were also shifted to nearby hospitals, including Kot Khawaja Saeed and Shalimar Hospital.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, the OLMT steering committee chairman Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan said it was a very unfortunate incident in which seven precious lives were lost. He said initial investigations suggested fire broke out as a result of a cylinder blast. “The flames engulfed clothes and quilts on the floor and spread in minutes. The building had fire extinguishers and other fire-fighting equipment, but the fire did not give time to respond,” he said.