Paper and machinery worth millions of rupees burnt when fire erupted in a paper go-down at Bund Road in Gulshan Ravi police precincts on Thursday.
Paper owned by local newspapers, Daily Jurrat, Woman Times and Azadi was stored in a 3-kanal go-down located inside a residential area on Bund Road. Early on Thursday at about 8:00 am, fire erupted in the go-down owing to unknown reasons. When the locals and the go-down’s watchmen could not control the fire, they called Rescue 1122 and Fire Brigade officials, who extinguished the fire in two hours.
Rescue 1122 official Rizwan said fire did not erupt owing to short-circuiting and it appeared as if someone had thrown a burning cigarette on the paper which caused fire.
Locals of area including Abu Bakar, Hashim and Ahmed showed concern on the presence of a paper go-down in a residential area. They said that fire could have engulfed their houses. They said that several go-downs on Bund Road did not have fire-fighting equipments and their owners never tried to develop any fire-fighting infrastructure. They said that fire fighters reached the scene about 25 minutes after the mishap.
Fire incidents were reported in a house in Bhaati Gate and at a go-down of pipes on Brandrath Road. Fire also grabbed two nearby houses and reduced valuables worth thousands of rupees to ashes. Fire fighter later controlled the fire at both the places.
