KASUR: Five labourers were burnt alive on Saturday, while at least eight others suffered injuries when the boiler of a paper mills exploded on Multan Road near Jamber village, in the limits of Phoolnagar Saddar police station.

According to locals, panic gripped the Century Paper Mills and its adjacent localities on Saturday morning when the boiler of the mills exploded with a bang. As a result, a major portion of the mills near the boiler was completely destroyed.

The explosion was so loud that, initially the locals took it for a bomb blast.

Rescue 1122 personnel, including fire fighters, who were called to the spot, with the help of mills workers, retrieved the bodies of the dead labourers and the injured ones from the rubble.

Those who died in the explosion were identified as Arif, Nabeel, Maratab Ali, Danish and Ajmal, while the injured included Maqbool, Irfan, Riaz, Adnan and Maqbool.

The injured labourers were initially rushed to Phoolnagar Trauma Centre, from where they were referred to the Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, because of their critical condition.

Rescue 1122 fire fighters put out the fire after making efforts for several hours.

Locals said that following the explosion, the mills administration immediately locked the gates and did not let anyone enter the premises, including local media persons.

A heavy police contingent also reached the mills and started investigations.

Later, on the complaint of a policeman, Muhammad Yousaf, of Phoolnagar Saddar police, a case was registered against the mills administration under Section 322 of the Pakistan Penal Code, without any person being nominated in the FIR.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2020