RAWALPINDI: Five people lost their lives and 26 others sustained critical burn injuries in over 400 fire incidents reported to Rescue 1122 during January to March this year in the Rawalpindi district.

According to the rescue service, out of 31 people affected by the fire incidents, five lost their lives, 22 were seriously injured and four were slightly injured.

The spokesman said that rescue teams promptly reached the incidents site and carried out rescue operations. The rescue fire fighters took timely action in a professional manner and brought the fire under control.

Due to prompt action of firefighters and district rescue administration, rescue teams saved a total of about Rs370 million worth of potential losses in these fire incidents.

Causes of fire include shot circuits, careless use of cigarettes, gas leakage, gas cylinder blast and others, the emergency services said.

In addition, the Rescue Rawalpindi has also reported 23 incidents of forest fires in the last three months.

The rescue firefighters prevented the forest fire from spreading in time, he said.

Besides, the Rescue Service Rawalpindi is also trying to reduce fire incidents, implement fire safety rules, introduce fire safety training and other programmes, said the spokesman.

Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 Murree received 1,425 emergency calls last month, during which they provided rescue services to 1,421 victims, shifted 803 victimsto different hospital after providing first aid.

A spokesman for the emergency services Murree said that 607 victims were given first aid on time by rescue personnel, while 11 died on the spot in various accidents.

Among the emergency calls received in the control room were 82 road traffic accidents, 10 minor fire incidents, 1,066 medical emergencies, nine crime incidents and 258 other emergencies.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2024