Short-circuiting cause of fire at five-star hotel

LAHORE: Short-circuiting was the cause of fire that engulfed the banquet hall of a five-star hotel on The Mall Saturday. Rescue-1122 fire fighters reached the spot and controlled the fire in the hall. No loss of life or injury was reported. Many hotel guests said no alarm was heard and that they only fled the building after they heard shouting from staff and other guests. Later on, a thick smoke filled the hall. Rescuers responded to the emergency within minutes and controlled the fire. The incident also created mess on The Mall as the entry of new vehicles to the hotel was stopped. A spark from electrical wires triggered the blaze in the evening, a rescuer said, ruling out any foul play. The results of the investigation would come after thorough inspection of the area where the fire erupted, collecting and testing evidence as well as listening to witnesses’ testimonies. It was reported that no flammable liquids, such as petrol, played a part in the blaze.