GUJRANWALA, Dec 6: Over 400 makeshift shops at the flea market along the railway track in front of Sheranwala Bagh were gutted when a fire broke out there because of what the affected sellers said short-circuit, on Saturday.

Hundreds of shopkeepers have set up their stalls of second-hand garments and new clothes and shoes along the railway track. There was a routine hustle and bustle in the market when, as the eyewitnesses said, an electricity wire of a transformer sparked and produced fire. Almost all the stalls were engulfed by fire and the smoke blanketed the area.

Some people of the locality tried to put out fire, but failed in their endeavour. The firefighting teams also could not reach in time despite being informed.

It is stated that an electric transformer and some motorcycles and bicycles were also reduced to skeletons.

The shopkeepers’ association estimated about Rs20 million loss. Senior railway officers reached there and ordered an inquiry.

Later, a number of shopkeepers blocked traffic in front of the Sheranwala Bagh to register their protest against the fire brigade. They pelted stones on buses and wagons on the GT Road and chanted slogans against the administration.

Taking immediate action against the firefighters’ negligence, City Tehsil Nazim Babu Javed Ahmad suspended from service 20 officials, including the fire officer (head of the team), and issued them show-cause notice.

POLICE PATROL: The National Highway and Motorway police have deployed additional mobile patrol officers on four beats from the Kharian to Lahore section on the GT Road under an emergent arrangement in connection with Tablighee moot in Raiwind.

The NH&MP (Kharian to Shahdara sector) in-charge, SP Agha Muhammad Yousaf, told newsmen on Saturday that four DSPs had already been inducted to supervise assignments on each beat.