Four children among 7 killed in house fire

Two rooms reduced to rubble, 4 injured taken to hospital

TOBA TEK SINGH:

At least seven people died after a house caught fire apparently due to gas leakage in a village of Toba Tek Singh district.

Four other residents of the house were rushed to a hospital in critical condition.

The victims who died of burn injuries included four children and a woman of the same family. Local people told The Express Tribune that the roof of the house collapsed after the fire broke out.

Residents of the area themselves made efforts to retrieve the bodies from the rubble for half an hour before teams of rescue workers reached the spot. A heavy contingent of police also reached the spot after the incident that took place in Chak No. 756GB Nakiana village near Pir Mehal.

The house owner Muhammad Hassan's family had allegedly left a stove attached to a gas cylinder burning in a room because of the severe cold weather.

While they were sleeping, the fire engulfed both rooms of the house due to gas leakage.

As the flames engulfed both rooms rapidly while the residents were asleep, they did not get an opportunity to get out.

Rescue officials said 50-year-old Sakina Bibi, wife of Muhammad Hussain, her 22-year-old daughter Mafia Bibi, 36-year-old Azra, wife of Waheed, seven-year-old Hamza, son of Waheed, five-year-old Amna, daughter of Waheed, four-year-old Afshan, daughter of Waheed and 16-year-old Rashid, son of Muhammad Hussain were burnt to death on the spot.

The fire and roof collapse injured 55-year-old Muhammad Hassan, son of Wariam, 37-year-old Waheed, son of Muhammad Hussain, 10-year-old Iqra, daughter of Muhammad Hussain and three-year-old Hadiqa, daughter of Waheed. Rescue 1122 staff shifted them to the Toba Tek Singh Hospital after first aid.

Read More: Three children burnt alive in house fire

News of the incident spread like wildfire in the area and local residents gathered to help retrieve the bodies and rescue the injured from the rubble. Due to the distance, teams of Rescue 1122 took half an hour to reach the spot. The DSP of Kamalia and SHO of Aruti police station also visited the spot.

A resident of the village, Nadeem, said that when the flames suddenly rose late at night, he thought that a villager might have lit a fire to remain warm, but after a while he heard screams and realised the seriousness of the matter.

The villagers rushed to put out the fire but it had spread to such an extent that it appeared impossible to douse it. The witness said the villagers still kept trying to put out the fire and rescue the injured. Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 was called.

Six vehicles took part in the rescue operation. By the time the rescue workers arrived, seven people had died on the spot.

Rescue 1122 district in-charge Faraz Ahmed Munir said there was a strong possibility that the fire spread in the house because of petrol or other flammable material present there. He said a fire caused by a gas leakage usually caused an explosion after filling a room.

He said rescue vehicles were dispatched to the spot as soon as information about the incident was received.

The official said the rescue vehicles were delayed due to rain and long distance. However, the rescue team shifted four persons to the hospital. Two of them were given first aid and two were being treated at the hospital. All the seven victims died of burn injuries.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2022.