Flames engulfed the New Auriga Complex located on Main Boulevard Gulberg late on Friday after a fire erupted due to short circuiting, turning into ash valuables worth millions as two persons were shifted to hospital during rescue operations.
Around 6pm, the fire erupted on the New Auriga Complex fourth floor where Wateen Telecom had set up its call centre and head office. The fire spread to the third floor within no time and gutted valuables, including furniture, computers and other electric appliances worth hundred of thousands of rupees. As the fire spread, New Auriga Complex traders, operating stores on the second floor and shops on the first and ground floor, began to empty their shops and stores to mitigate losses. As the news spread, rescue and fire brigade officials reached the plaza and after a four hour struggle managed to tame the fire. Rescue officials shifted two persons who fainted due to the heavy smoke to a local hospital for medical aid.
‘Late information hindered
operation’: Talking to media, District Coordinating Officer (DCO) Lahore Ahad Cheema said the time delay in receiving reports of the fire helped the fire catch on and gut two floors of the building. He said the fire erupted about 6 pm but rescue agencies were informed by locals about two hours after the incident. He said that Rescue 1122, Fire Brigade, WASA and PHA officials reached immediately after receiving information and carried out the rescue operation. He said the water hydrant installed outside the blazing plaza helped rescue workers in controlling fire. Answering a question, he said traders informed officials that diesel was present on the premises but no one can be blamed since everyone uses diesel to run generators in electricity outages. He said rescue workers had managed to extinguish 90% of the fire and the fire was now cooling down.
Eyewitnesses Imran and Faisal said the two work at different shops in the adjacent Old Auriga Centre and saw flames coming out from third and fourth floor of the plaza, after which they asked fellow traders to pull out valuables.
‘Smoke destroyed millions in valuables’: Speaking to media, Liberty Market Vice President Sher Khan said traders managed to shifting valuables from the plaza but the smoke of the fire had damaged cloth worth millions of rupees. He said New Auriga Complex traders had put their losses at Rs 100 million. He said cloth worth million of rupees went missing when traders tried emptying shops and godowns.
Most traders appreciated the work of government department and said the Punjab government had helped traders rehabilitation their business after mishaps. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Dr Saeed Elahi and Umer Sohail Zia Butt reached the location and monitored rescue work.
‘All safe, Wateen serices restored’:
Speaking about the incident, Wateen Telecom PR Manager Salman said they had not been able to establish the cause of the fire but the company’s entire staff was rescued unhurt.
He said ll accessories, including computers/equipment installed at the Wateen Telecom head office on the two floors (3rd and 4th) had were reduced to ashes but it was too early to estimate losses.
He said all Wateen services have been made operational and customers complaints were being addressed through the Warid Network helpline. He said all emergency service agencies had supported them and helped control the fire without delay. Salman said that around 25 people were present at the head office at the time of incident as working shift ended at 6 pm.
In a press statement, Wateen CEO Naeem Zamindar said the Wateen management’s first priority was to ensure all employees and other tenants were safe. He said Wateen consumers will not be affected since networking and data warehousing facilities were located elsewhere.
Auriga burns
