Three girls die in sugarcane crop residue fire

Committee formed to probe incident

MUZAFFARGARH:

In a fire incident in the jurisdiction of Khangarh area on Thursday, three young girls lost their lives due to a fire in sugarcane crop residues.

DPO Syed Hasnain Haider visited the scene to extend his condolences to the bereaved families and ordered a probe to ascertain the cause of the fire.

The DPO formed a high-level committee to probe the incident, which will include forensic experts to ascertain the exact cause of the fire.

The victims were identified as Dua Fatima, 8, Hijab Zahra, 5, and Kainat Zahra, 3.

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The incident occurred as the three girls were playing inside a makeshift hut where sugarcane bales were stored. The bales caught fire, trapping the girls inside.

Despite efforts by onlookers, only one of the cousins, Dua Fatima, could be retrieved alive. She was rushed to Saddar Hospital Muzaffargarh and later transferred to Nishtar Hospital Burn Unit, where she succumbed to her injuries during transit.

SDPO Saddar Farhat Rasool, SDPO City Rehanul Rasool Khan, and SHO Khangarh Inspector Muhammad Akram, along with their respective teams, arrived at the scene swiftly. Additionally, the Forensics Science Agency Unit and Crime Scene Unit were deployed to gather evidence.

Expressing his heartfelt sorrow, DPO Syed Hasnain Haider assured the grieving parents that a thorough investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the fire. He emphasised that all aspects of the incident would be carefully reviewed, and appropriate legal action would be taken based on the final report.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2024.