Three Barkat Market shops gutted

LAHORE: Goods worth millions of rupees were burnt to ashes when a fire broke out in a plaza at Barkat Market in the limits of Garden Town on Tuesday.

Police said initially a fire erupted in a fast food outlet at Lahore Tower at around 8am. Later, the fire turned into a huge blaze in no time and engulfed the entire shop. Barkat Market is one of the busiest markets in the city.

Upon seeing heavy clouds of black smoke at the market, people rushed to the place and tried to put out the fire, but failed. Subsequently, they called rescue teams. At least 10 fire fighting vehicles of Rescue 1122 reached the site and controlled the blaze in two-and-a-half hours. Rescue 1122 officials declared the site cleared after cooling process of over an hour.



However, the incident created panic among the people of the locality due to heavy smoke coming out of the building. The incident also caused a traffic jam on the main roads.

No loss of life or injury was reported in the incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 24^th, 2017.