52 fires reported in Lahore daily: report

During first four months of 2019, 6,195 fires were reported across province

LAHORE: According to statistics released on International Firefighters’ Day, an average of 52 fires are reported in the province on a daily basis.

During the first four months of 2019, 6,195 fires were reported in Punjab which killed 49 people and injured 269 others. The data also shows that around 11 fire incidents are reported in the provincial capital on a daily basis, placing Lahore at the very top of the list. So far in 2019, 1,311 fires were reported in Lahore which killed nine and injured 75 others.

The report issued by Rescue 1122 also shows that Faisalabad and Gujranwala followed with 556 and 379 fires reported respectively. Majority of the incidents were caused by short circuits while some of them were also caused by human callousness.

Meanwhile, Punjab Emergency Service Director General Dr Rizwan Naseer acknowledged and paid tribute to the services of those individuals who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

On the directives of the director general International Firefighters’ Day, celebrated globally on May 4, was also commemorated in all the districts across the province. In order to promote fire safety, awareness walks, seminars and rallies were conducted by district emergency service in collaboration with district administrations, social organisations and other stakeholders.

Speaking at a ceremony organised in connection with the day at Rescue Headquarters on Saturday, the director general said that after establishing a comprehensive emergency management system in Pakistan, the fire service has responded to 125,000 incidents in Punjab since 2007 and has prevented losses worth Rs376 billion. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2019.