DC orders inquiry into fruit and vegetable market fire incident

Islamabad: The Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad has ordered fact finding inquiry to know reasons of the fire erupted in the biggest fruit and vegetable market of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in Sector I/11 on Eid night.

The eight-member fact finding inquiry team was headed by the Additional District Magistrate and comprising of Administrator Market Committee, Assistant Commissioner (Sadar Sub Division), District Emergency Officer (Rawalpindi), a member of the Islamabad police and a representative of victim vendors.

A notification about constituting the inquiry committee has been issued by the office of the Deputy Commissioner (Islamabad), who ordered to submit the fact finding report within three days. A massive fire was erupted at Sabzi Mandi in Islamabad during stormy wind on Eid night and turned hundreds of shops, warehouses, godowns and trading points to ashes, caused damages to the tune of tens of millions of rupees.

No loss of life was reported as the people and labourer had left for their home towns to celebrate Eid with their families. The fire has reportedly burned down entire Sabzi Mandi, including the warehouses in the area. Furthermore, the rescue teams and fire brigade arrived at the scene shortly after the fire broke out and they are still working to control the blaze.

The effected people expressed their dissatisfaction over the response from the district management, saying that they were not concentrating to compensate the poor people who have been completely wiped out because of the fire havoc. “Why the district administration desires to know the cause of fire? These are only delaying tactics,” adding that they would stage protest demonstration against the district administration who were using delaying tactics. They demanded the government to pay them compensation for their loss.