In an extremely sad incident, 10 members of a family, including four women and children, died, according to officials, of suffocation after a fire erupted in a three-storey building in Samian Mohallah at Taxali Gate, Walled City of Lahore.
Reportedly, the fire broke out at around 2am, the specific reasons of which are not yet known.
The victims were asleep at that time in their three-storey building.
Three families were living in the building; three rooms stacked on top of each other, making it a three-storey building.
A neighbour said that he was asleep at his home when he heard people screaming for help.
He ran and reached outside their home. He saw flames erupting from their fridge and other household items.
Other people of the area also reached the spot. They tried to open the door but it was locked from inside.
They also tried to break the door using a hammer and other items but failed in their attempts.
They alerted Rescue 1122.
He said that it was a congested area and the firefighting teams faced a lot of difficulties in reaching the place.
An official told The Express Tribune that evidence suggested the fire broke out in the lower portion of the house. It spread to other parts of the house.
As the fire broke out, there was a power breakdown in the building.
The victims struggled for their life, climbing up to the upper portion.
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They had gathered in the upper portion of the house and died of suffocation.
At least 11 vehicles and 33 rescuers took part in the rescue operation led by DEO Shahid Waheed Qamar.
The deceased persons have been identified as Saira Bano, 60; Sonu Ijaz Hussain, 14; Amber Waris Ali, 25; Alam Dar, seven, son of Waris Ali; Monu, 14, son of Ijaz Hussain; Adil Hussain, 16, son of Babar Ali; Anzal Fatima, daughter of Waris Ali; Sania Ijaz Hussain, 18; Seemab Ijaz Hussain, 13; and Farzana Ijaz Hussain, 40.
Their bodies have been moved to the morgue for autopsy.
Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi took notice of the incident, seeking a report from the authorities.
Police and district administration collected evidence from the crime scene to determine the cause of deaths.
AC City Qasif Abbas prepared 10 graves for the deceased persons.
The district administration also arranged the transportation facility for the family members of the victims from the Lahore airport to the graveyard.
The Edhi Foundation arranged for the burial of the deceased persons.
After the post-mortem at Mayo Hospital, the bodies are to be moved to Mayani Sahib Graveyard.
The fire incidents in the walled city are proving deadlier as the residential buildings are congested and the streets are narrow, causing difficulties in launching the firefighting operation.
In an incident of fire in Lohari Gate in 2016, at least six members of a family had died. The victims were asleep in the multi-storey building just like the current victims when the fire broke out.
In 2017 in Missri Shah, another congested, low income area of Lahore, three minor sisters were burnt alive and their infant brother received serious burn injuries in a fire incident.
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