LAHORE: Eleven people lost their lives in a massive fire that broke out in a factory located in a populous area of Imamia Colony, Sheikhupura, police and witnesses said on Tuesday.

They said more than 15 people, including children, were buried alive as the roof of a perfume-manufacturing unit collapsed following a gas cylinder blast late on Monday night. All those present inside got trapped under the rubble and the flames engulfed the entire building because of the presence of a huge stock of perfume.

They said Jameel Ahmed, the owner of the factory, and six members of his family including two brothers died in the incident. They were asleep at the residential quarter located in the double-storey building.

The Sheikhupura Regional Police Officer confirmed to Dawn that 11 people died in the incident.

The deceased included Jameel’s brothers Abid and Waheed, Zahid Fazal, Rasheeda, Musa, Areeba, Naveed and Abid.

According to reports, the owner had set up three units in a 10-marla double-storey building where he was running multiple businesses like production of nimko, candies, chocolates, biscuits, perfume and embroidery.

Witnesses said that the fire was so huge that police and Rescue 1122 officials got the surrounding buildings vacated to avoid any accident.

They said the rescue teams started operation too late as the building was inaccessible because of narrow streets and encroachments.

A spokesperson for Rescue 1122 said the intensity of the fire had weakened the building structure. He said as soon as the cylinders exploded the roofs of both portions of the building caved in.

He said a dozen vehicles took part in the operation and the fire-fighters faced difficulties due to continuous rain and power supply suspension.

The spokesperson said the rescue operation was completed in the morning. He said nine bodies were retrieved from the collapsed building whereas the injured were taken to hospital.

According to local district administration, the owner was running the factory without getting it registered with the departments concerned.

The RPO said a case was registered on the complaint of an officer of the Civil Defence against the factory owner, who was injured at the time of registration of the FIR, under Section 322 (hurt), 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Ferozewala police station.

Some of the injured told newsmen that the families of a few workers were living at the upper floors of the building. The workers were working in two shifts. They said that the fire broke out due to leakage of gas from a cylinder.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2020