Chinese fire, rescue fleet reaches capital

Twenty-one modern fire and rescue vehicles provided by China to upgrade Islamabad's firefighting and emergency response system have arrived in the capital, according to sources.

The vehicles and equipment supplied under Chinese assistance are worth 72.31 million Chinese yuan, equivalent to approximately Rs3 billion, the sources said.

The consignment includes a modern snorkel fire tender capable of carrying out firefighting and rescue operations in high-rise buildings. The new vehicle can reach a height of around 88 metres.

Currently, Islamabad's fire tenders can access buildings up to about 68 metres high. The addition of the new snorkel vehicle will increase the department's operational reach from 68 to approximately 88 metres, significantly improving its ability to respond to emergencies in high-rise buildings.

Sources said the last major procurement of modern fire vehicles and equipment for the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Fire Department took place in 2006, with no major purchase of advanced fire and rescue vehicles for nearly two decades.