LAHORE, Nov 17: Two persons suffered burns and suitcases worth hundreds of thousands of rupees were reduced to ashes when a fire broke out in a two-storey warehouse at Madina Colony on Saturday.

The fire also left a portion of the building (near Madhu Lal Hussain’s shrine) collapsed. The injured Aslam and Siddique were taken to the Shalimar Hospital.

Rescuers evacuated the adjacent buildings for operation. The area people lodged a protest against the Rescue 1122 and City Fire Brigade for failing to control the blaze which erupted in the warehouse of two brothers -- Zaheer and Saleem.

MPA Waseem Qadir and some media persons were among those who were ‘manhandled’ by the protesters.

Civil Lines SP (Operations) Abdul Qadir Qamar told Dawn that the fire erupted in the upper portion of the warehouse apparently due to a short circuit and engulfed the whole building which burnt suitcases and manufacturing material.

He said narrow passages restricted the rescuers to move fire-tenders and extinguish blaze, adding that heavy presence of locals and media persons led to the scuffles. He said the blaze also caused power breakdown which hindered firefighting.

He said the rescuers brought the blaze under control after one and a half hours.

Another fire broke out in a factory near New Bazaar Lohari, burning down valuables worth hundreds of thousands of rupees.

ROOF COLLAPSE: Two persons were injured after the roof of an under-construction building collapsed near Bank Stop, Ferozepur Road on Saturday.

A Rescue 1122 team shifted the injured to the Lahore General Hospital.