Deadly fire: Forensic team collects samples from ashes

Forensic experts collect evidences from burnt house

RAWALPINDI:

A team of forensic experts on Thursday morning collected evidences from the burnt house where seven members of a family including five children were killed in Chaklala Scheme-III, said a police official. All the victims were asleep on the upper-storey of the building when the fire broke out.

The incident apparently took place due to a short circuit, but the possibility of arson could not be ruled out, according to police.

A forensics team was called in from Lahore to assist in the investigation. The team will prepare a report in two weeks, said the official. The police have also started investigating relatives and friends of the deceased, but he refused to share further information.

Civil Lines DSP Farhan Aslam said an FIR has not been registered but investigation is underway. Three sisters of the father live in UK and two in Rawalpindi, while his only brother was killed in a similar incident last year, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2015.