ISLAMABAD – The fire erupted at a shopping centre in Islamabad’s Blue Area on Sunday was broke out due to short circuit but it could have been averted, if the building had proper inbuilt fire safety system. “Fire broke out due to short circuit at the control room of a private office and it could easily be controlled if Co2 cylinder and Dry chemical Powder (DCP) were poured over the fire, which did not exist in the building”,
Additional Director Fire brigade Zafar Iqbal told Pakistan Today on Monday. He said that according to survey conducted by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) fire, safety and rescue team there was no sprinkler and fire alarming system existing in the building. However, he said that the building had proper entrance and exit that helped the CDA’s staff in fire extinguishing. Zafer said that according to a survey conducted by CDA 95 percent of multi story shopping malls in the city had no fire fighting equipments and emergency exits.
The owners of these plazas spend millions of rupees on the construction but seemed least bother about the establishment of emergency exits, he said. Khalid Javed, plaza owner, could not be contacted despite several attempts.
