RAHIM YAR KHAN, April 28: Two fires that broke out in the local cotton warehouse of the Trading Corporation of Pakistan have become talk of the town with new details of the case surfacing. Around 40,000 cotton bales worth Rs423m were burnt in two fires that took place on April 15 and 23 at the TCP warehouse at a private facility in Akramabad village in city outskirts.

The warehouse hired by the corporation at a monthly rent of Rs 100,000 was assumed to be one of the safest and well-kept facilities in the area to stock cotton.

Giving excuse for the second incident, the TCP authorities reportedly said the fire might have been ignited by the remnants of the first fire and the 20,000 bales that remained safe and sound in the first episode could not be segregated because the surveyors of the National Insurance Corporation had to evaluate the loss.

People concerned point out that the NIC surveyors were supposed to assess the loss of burnt bales and not of those that remained safe. Moreover, when the fire broke out for the second time within 10 days the TCP officials at the warehouse were seen shifting cotton to some safer place and they managed to save around 2000 bales. People, therefore, say further loss of national assets could have been avoided had the TCP segregated the damaged and safe bales in time. Warehouse incharge Muhammad Hussain Rajani has disappeared since the fire erupted second. It is being said that he is in Karachi for the treatment of his ailing heart.