ISLAMABAD, May 5: Flames leapt up and down the capital on Friday as another bushfire erupted on the Margalla Hills and a freak fire consumed wooden crates in the vegetable market in I-11.

The fire on the Margalla Hills broke out at Loya Dandi, the area overseeing Bari Imam Shrine, at around 6pm and continued even past midnight. The cause of the fire could not be ascertained.

“It is not a big fire and 120 fire fighters are trying to control it,” Director Environment Dr Suleman Sheikh said while talking to Dawn by telephone from the site of burning hills.

He said Loya Dandi was one of the spots where Bari Imam used to stay for worship in a cave hundreds of years ago.

The official said annual Urs of Hazrat Bari Imam was starting in the next couple of days and the devotees had started accumulating at the shrine and nearby places.

“These devotees do not take care while cooking food and smoking. That could be one of the reasons of the fire,” the official said.

However, there is a general impression that fire is started intentionally to remove evidence of timber theft and cutting of tress on the hills.

Fires at Margalla Hills have become a regular feature. In summer season, more than 100 fire incidents are reported in which timber worth millions of rupees is destroyed. Sometimes, the fires continue for weeks and the authority concerned remains unsuccessful to control these due to limited staff and lack of proper equipment.

Fire erupts in Sabzi Mandi: A fire broke out at Sabzi Mandi here on Friday damaging valuables and property, police said.

The fire, which erupted in a heap of wooden crates at 3.50pm, spread out quickly. Thick clouds of smoke could be seen from far away.

Dozens of fire fighters and four vehicles of the Islamabad city fire brigade rushed to the spot and vacated the area.

The flames were brought under control after four hours. Police said traders of the vegetable and fruit market dumped thousands of wooden crates in an open area reserved for the purpose.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. However, the police said the incident occurred due to negligence. “There is a chance that a passerby had thrown a burning cigarette on the crates that caused the fire, they added.