ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): A fire broke out in Islamabad’s H9 Sunday Bazaar on Tuesday night, burning down 335 shops and stalls, rescue officials said.
According to officials, the fire erupted in Block C of the bazaar, which mostly houses shoe stalls, and spread rapidly, prompting a large-scale emergency response. The Itwar Bazaar or Sunday Bazaar remains operational on Fridays, Tuesdays, and Sundays.
The fire broke out due to a short circuit, and its intensity increased due to the explosion of batteries in different shops, rescue officials said.
The district administration said that 335 shops in the Bazaar were affected by the fire, adding that rescue teams have brought the fire under control after several hours, and the cooling process is underway.
“No casualties were reported due to the fire.”
Rescue teams, including firefighters, police, and district administration officials, rushed to the scene shortly after getting the information.
The administration confirmed that daily operations are underway in the market regarding LPG cylinders, as a complete ban has been imposed on their use in the markets. “Nine shopkeepers were also arrested yesterday for using LPG cylinders,” officials said
Earlier, in a media statement, the district administration said that 80 percent of the fire had been brought under control.
The fire broke out in nine sections of the bazaar, seven of which have been controlled, officials said, adding that fire extinguishing is underway in the remaining two sections.
The administration said that rescue personnel and four fire brigade vehicles were busy extinguishing the fire, adding that 10 additional fire vehicles had been called from Rawalpindi. “Rescue 1122 Rawalpindi teams are also participating in the relief activities,” it said.
