LAHORE: Furniture and other goods were gutted after a fire broke out on the third floor of a shopping plaza located on Gulberg Main Boulevard on Monday.

The fire first erupted in a kitchen of an office of the plaza situated opposite Siddique Trade Centre which later spread to the three adjoining shops. A trader immediately alerted the police as well as the Rescue 1122 on seeing dark clouds followed by flames.

Some witnesses told the police that the plaza administration lacked fire-fighting equipment as a result flames spread to nearby shops.

The fire gutted furniture, some food stuff and machinery in the shops besides garments stock, they said adding that the shopkeepers, however, remained unhurt as they immediately left the place.

A spokesperson for the Rescue 1122 said operation was launched timely, curtailing the fire to a few shops.

He said the cause of the fire could not be ascertained due to various versions of the shopkeepers and shoppers.

However, he said, rescuers controlled the fire after efforts of an hour or so.

The premises were handed over to the police for further investigation, he said.

DIES: A dolphin squad constable, who was under treatment at a local hospital for his critical head injuries along with his colleague he suffered during an accident some days back, died here on Monday.

Sajid Ali and his colleague Afzal had met with an accident on the Canal Road near Jinnah Underpass. Both had suffered multiple injuries when their bike collided with a truck. Rescue 1122 shifted them to hospital where they were said to be critical.

On Monday, Sajid succumbed to his injuries and his funeral was held at Dolphin Squad Headquarters on Walton Road.

Operations DIG Waqas Nazeer, SSP Mustansar Feroz and other senior police officers attended the funeral prayers, besides several employees of the Dolphin Squad.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2019