Over 400 shops destroyed in Lahore plaza inferno

LAHORE: At least 404 shops were destroyed in a fire in Gulberg’s Pace Plaza in the wee hours of Monday.

No loss of life or injury was reported. The fire erupted at midnight when all the shops were closed. Firefighters put out the blaze well after 10 hours. Rescue 1122 got the first call at 12:45am. The firefighting operation continued whole night in which 22 fire vehicles and 92 rescuers took part.

Rescue Director General Rizwan Naseer said the plaza did not have functional fire hydrants and exit passages. He said the firefighters had to face trouble while conducting the operation in the absence of exit passages.

The DG said the fire had been put out but the cooling process was going on. Shopkeepers, on the other hand, have lashed out at the plaza administration and accused it of deliberately arson.

“The administration has been asking the traders to evacuate the shops”, said a trader. Police have taken into custody the plaza security in-charge.

Commissioner Muhammad Usman has said an inquiry through a high-powered committee having representation from multiple departments and agencies would be conducted.

The shops on four floors of the plaza were full of garments, cosmetics, hosiery and other combustible material. The fire in short span of time spread to almost all the floors. Flames and fumes could be seen from a distance. The plaza on fire had also explosions after brief intervals.

As the news spread, the traders and nearby residents apart from police, rescuers and media persons started gathering in the surrounding. The Rescue 1122 DG said that the cause of the fire would be ascertained after thorough investigations.

He also appealed to the public, traders and plaza owners to ensure fire safety measures at all costs. He asked for installation of two safety measures instantly --- functional hydrants and fire exits.

The commissioner said that a high-powered committee would investigate the fire while another committee would prepare a loss estimation report and submit it to the deputy commissioner before being furnished to the government.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has also taken notice of the incident and asked the authorities concerned to submit a report. Two years back in October 2020, a heavy fire in an electronics business centre next to the plaza was completely burnt destroying over 200 shops of laptops and cell phones.

Three years back, a plaza near Center Point on the boulevard was also burnt. The Gulberg police have lodged a complaint against the owners of the plaza, stating that two months back, they had a meeting with them to get the building vacated by taking as much money as they wanted.

The traders said that the plaza had been closed at 11:30pm as per routine after switching off the main power breaker. They ruled out a power short-circuit as the cause and accused the management of arson.