Short-circuit: Fire engulfs 7th floor of Aiwan-i-Iqbal

Rescue 1122 Officers said that 18 fire trucks and 55 rescuers participated in the operation.

LAHORE:

Electronic gadgets and furniture worth hundreds of thousands of rupees were destroyed in a fire that broke out at the 7th floor of the Aiwan-i-Iqbal Complex on Sunday.

The 7th floor was rented by Ali Arshad Hakeem almost a month ago.

He had set up an office to collect land record.

Security guard Irfan Ali said he saw smoke emitting from the building at around 8:00am and informed the chief security officer who called fire and rescue departments and the police. He said the fire was put down in two hours.

Rescue 1122 District Officer Ahmad Raza and Rescue Operations Officer Shahid said that 18 fire trucks and 55 rescuers participated in the operation. Two firefighters Ali and Saif suffered minor injuries.

District Coordination Officer Noorul Amin Mengal said the fire was apparently caused by a short-circuit, but added that forensic examination had been ordered to ascertain the cause of fire.

The injured rescuer, Ali, said he was the first to enter the building by breaking a windowpane. He said the fire had engulfed the entire floor. He said he heard several explosions during the operation.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2013.