LAHORE, May 31: Firefighters were trying to put out the blaze till 11pm on Thursday that erupted at renowned bookstore, Ferozesons, on The Mall at 12:20pm on Wednesday.

Rescue 1122 said the fire, which erupted in bookstore’s basement because of short-circuiting and burnt books as well as valuables worth millions, could not be controlled because of difficult access.

At least five fire vehicles of Rescue 1122 and City Fire Brigade, a Rescue 1122 water bourse and two water tanks of Wasa took part in firefighting on the second day.

A fireman told Dawn that rescuers made several entries into the basement from the ground floor to douse the fire after they found no access to the basement. He said the fear of two-storey building’s collapse was also causing hurdles in firefighting. He said rescuers were waiting for the fire to die on its own.

There was no word from bookstore’s management or employees. Qila Gujjar Singh police said they had yet to receive any application from the bookstore management.