Three cops injured as ammunition catches fire at Dir police station

DIR: A huge cache of weapons and ammunition stored at the Wari Police Station caught fire at midnight in which three policemen were also injured, sources said. The sources in the Police Department said that the store caught fire due to short-circuiting.

Eyewitnesses said loud explosions were heard as the store caught fire and it frightened the residents living near the police station. Huge flames of fire rose and nobody could go near the store, they added.

People rushed to the police station as they heard sounds of explosion and saw the raging flames in the sky. However, they were advised to stay away from the site due to explosions caused by the ammunition. The police personnel, residents, fire-brigade staffs of Wari and Dir took part in the rescue operation and extinguished the fire after hectic efforts. District Police Officer Mian Naseeb Jan said that an inquiry team had been constituted to probe the matter. However, he added that initially he was told that the store had caught fire owing to short-circuiting. He said 70 percent of weapons and ammunition remained safe.