Second incident: Five shops gutted at Ghakkar Plaza fire

Rescue 1122 and Fire Brigade volunteers rushed to the site quickly and extinguished fire after 40 minutes operation.

A massive fire erupted in the basement of Ghakkar Plaza, gutting five garment shops here on Tuesday. However, all the shopkeepers remained unhurt in the incident.

Only four days ago, Rescue-1122 and the Fire Safety Association of Pakistan had remembered 13 firefighters, who sacrificed their lives while rescuing others during the 2008 fire incident at Ghakkar Plaza. This incident brings back discomforting memories, reminding us to take steps for fire safety.

Since cellular service was suspended in the garrison city during Chehlum procession, the news of fire caused wide-spread panic among inhabitants as many feared that militants had set the plaza on fire. After learning of the incident, district and security officers engaged in security arrangements for the Chehlum procession rushed to the site. However, they later determined that the fire erupted due to short-circuit.

A thick cloud of smoke engulfed the plaza as Rescue 1122 and the Fire Brigade volunteers rushed to the site quickly and extinguished the fire after 40 minutes operation.

Officials from Rescue 1122 expressed their concern over the lack of sprinkle system and emergency exit in the multi-storey plaza’s basement. They reported that the fire engulfed five shops, out of which three were completely gutted.

Rescue 1122 DEO, Dr Abdur Rehman, told mediapersons that the emergency service responded quickly and controlled the situation before it worsened. He added that no fire control system or emergency exit was found in the plaza.

He also said that the plaza’s owner had been served three notices to install fire extinguishing system in the plaza prior to this incident.

The affected site was visited by PML-N leader, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, Commissioner Rawalpindi, Khalid Masood Chaudhry and other senior officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2013.