GUJRANWALA, April 21: Five people, including a Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited sub-engineer, sustained serious burn wounds after a fire in a gas meter in Bhaberianwala Bazaar here on Monday.

Shopkeeper Zafer Iqbal had lodged a complain with the SNGPL authorities regarding the gas leakage and the replacement of the meter.

SNGPL sub-engineer Zulfikar Ahmad and the shopkeeper were testing the line after replacing the meter when fire broke out after an explosion in the shop.

As a result, the shopkeeper, his employee Chand, Zulfikar and two passersby sustained critical burn wounds.

They were rushed to local DHQ Hospital in critical condition. The shop was also reduced to ashes.

wagon stops: The citizen council has resented illegal establishment of wagon stands on various roads in the district.

At a meeting presided over by union council No 44 Nazim Aslam Ibrahim on Monday, the council said extortionists had set up illegal addas at populous areas, including Tower chowk, Nayan chowk, Hafizabad Road, Garjakhi Gate and chowk Darul Islam, with the connivance of the district administration and traffic police.

They demanded the local administration to eliminate these spots, which also hampered smooth flow of traffic. They also alleged that vagabonds teased women and girls, who passed from these spots.