LAHORE, Jan 22: Valuables and waste paper worth around Rs10 million were reduced to ashes in a factory fire in Chungi Amar Sadhu on Tuesday.

Police said the fire broke out in one of the sheds of the Packages at 12.30pm. Within seconds the blaze spread to other units.

Residents who watched flames emitting from the factory said: “For some minutes we thought that the fire will engulf the entire locality.” Some people reportedly vacated their houses to avoid any eventuality.

Fire tenders were joined by other civic agencies like civil defence, bomb disposal squad and police in a 10-hour operation to put out the fire. No human loss was reported.

The rescue work was in process till the filing of this report late night. A factory employee estimated the loss at over Rs10 million. The cause is yet to be determined.—Staff Reporter