Late-night blaze hits flea market

RAWALPINDI:

A devastating fire broke out early on Tuesday in the Landa Bazaar situated in Mehrban Market near the Dispensary Ground in the Tench Bhatta area, reducing more than 25 makeshift stalls and their contents to ashes.

RA Bazaar police said the preliminary investigation indicated that the fire had most likely been caused by an electrical short circuit. They confirmed that no casualties or injuries were reported, although the affected stallholders suffered extensive property losses.

The blaze, whose flames were visible from a considerable distance, prompted local residents to alert Rescue 1122 and other emergency services. Before the arrival of rescue teams, nearby shopkeepers and residents attempted to contain the fire on their own, but the intensity of the flames made their efforts unsuccessful.

Teams from Rescue 1122 and the Fire Brigade subsequently reached the scene and launched a coordinated firefighting operation. Firefighters encountered considerable difficulty in bringing the blaze under control because of the large quantity of clothing and other highly combustible goods stored in the stalls.

Following sustained efforts, however, they succeeded in extinguishing the fire and later completed the cooling process to prevent any rekindling.