Daily Times

Chief Commissioner (CC) Muhammad Ali Randhawa visited the H-9 Sunday Bazaar on Wednesday after a fire broke out around 11 am and formed a committee to investigate the incident.

He also reviewed the fire extinguishing efforts.

Talking to media persons, the Commissioner, accompanied by the Inspector General (IG) of Police, said, “The fire brigade was dispatched right away. Our team was already active due to the rain, so 31 fire engines and several water tankers were promptly reached on the site. Over 250 rescuers are involved in the operation.”

On the occasion, Randhawa said that he called the IGP and the area had been sealed off to prevent further incidents. He assured that any damage would be repaired. He said that the aim of cordoning off the area was to stop the fire from reigniting.

Randhawa acknowledged that this isn’t the first fire at the bazaar. To determine the cause and find prevention measures, a joint committee of district and police officials would be formed. This committee is expected to submit its report within seven days.

The Chief Commissioner said that steps would be taken to avoid these incidents in the future.

Relaying the incident details, he said that out of 2,743 shops, 500 have been damaged. Authorities have urged people not to risk their lives to retrieve goods, assuring that the government will compensate for the losses.

The committee investigating the fire incident will be led by the Deputy Commissioner and will include technical experts.

The fire is now fully under control, he added.

Additionally, he said that plans were underway to enhance the city’s safety measures. The authorities aim to establish a Safe City Authority, utilizing the best cameras in the country to improve surveillance and safety in Islamabad.