SIALKOT: Three children of a trader were burnt alive in the dead of Wednesday night when flames emanating from his gas cylinder filling outlet engulfed their upper portion abode in Daska’s congested Tailiyaanwala Galla area.

Trader Malik Muhammad Ilyas’ three children -- Lubna, 32, Shahbaz Ahmed, 22, and Aiman Kausar, 16, -- were said to be physically and mentally challenged.

According to eyewitnesses and neighbours, a fire erupted in the cylinder refilling outlet ostensibly due to gas leakage, and triggered explosion. The flames engulfed the nearby shops and the trader’s house leaving his three children fatally burnt.

Rescue 1122 officials said the illegal gas cylinder refilling and oil shop was located in a two-foot wide street in the residential area and this created hurdle in fire-fighting operation. They shifted the bodies to the Civil Hospital for autopsy.

A rescue spokesman, Muhammad Asad, told Dawn that nine vehicles participated in the fire-fighting operation which was supervised by District Emergency Officer Syed Kamal Abid.

The Daska police said the fire erupted owing to leakage of gas from some cylinders in the shop and a short-circuit. They said the surrounding houses were vacated. Police did not register any case saying no one had submitted an application so far.

An official claimed that five cases had already been registered against Malik Ilyas who had been running illegal business for many years. He said the trader obtained bail from courts making it difficult for police to proceed against him.

The three children were laid to rest at Shaheedaan graveyard. Many markets in Daska remained closed to mourn the tragedy.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and sought a report from the district administration.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2016