LAHORE: A fire broke out in a warehouse in Badami Bagh and reduced goods, machines and furniture to ashes here on Monday.

Old plastic items were stored in a large quantity in the single-storey warehouse situated at Ahmad Park of Dada Nagar. As dense smoke billowed out from the premises, the workers rushed out and alerted police and Rescue 1122.

Witnesses told the media that the huge fire engulfed the entire warehouse in no time due to the presence of inflammable material and chemical inside. The owner faced a huge loss as the rescue work began late despite the authorities having been informed on time, they said.

Huge flames followed by dense smoke could be seen from a distance, according to video clips circulating on social media. Many locals tried to put off the fire, but to no avail.

An official of the Rescue 1122 said their vehicles were dispatched immediately after receiving a call. He claimed that the fire vehicles took some time to reach the spot due to traffic congestion and encroachment in the area. The rescue crew controlled the fire within an hour, he claimed, adding that the warehouse was not properly managed and lacked preventive kits.

To a question, the official said the cause of the fire had not been ascertained yet, but the premises have been handed over to the police for investigation.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2020