Minors suffer burns in warehouse blaze

Building gutted due to fireworks explosions

KURIANWALA:

Two children were badly burnt in a series of firework explosions at a warehouse in Makuana on Monday.

The fire was reportedly triggered by a short circuit which quickly gained strength due to the presence of fireworks inside the storage facility.

Neighbours called the emergency service to douse the fire that quickly got out of control.

Rescue 1122 teams managed to control the fire after several hours of struggle, pulled out the injured minors and shifted them to a nearby hospital.

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Despite concerted firefighting efforts, the entire warehouse had collapsed with a blast.

Muhammad Sohail, son of Qadeer, had recently stored manufactured firework material inside the warehouse near Jaranwala Road 229 Makuana bypass where the fire broke out due to short circuit in the morning.

Kharianwala police rushed to the spot and started searching for the suspect identified as Sohail who allegedly placed the firework inside the warehouse.

Asad Ali, 6, and Amna Bibi, 9, were identified as the minors who suffered burns in the incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2021.