GUJRAT: A triple-storey commercial building having a fast food outlet was burnt due to electric short circuiting near Kidney Centre along Circular Road on Saturday.

According to an initial estimate, the fire caused loss of more than Rs3 million whereas the building can not be further used until the complete investigation, said an official of the local administration.

It took at least three hours to extinguish the fire by Rescue 1122.

The rescue officials said the fire erupted at around 12 O’ clock in the day in the pizza shop at the ground floor and then it spread to all three storeys of the building.

At least three fire engines were used in the hours-long operation.

Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Safdar Virk, District Police Officer Mustansar Atta Bajwa and other senior officials also reached the spot and inspected the operation.

The staff of pizza shop said the business was closed when the incident occurred as usually the cooking and sale would start by the evening.

They apprehended that the short circuiting might have been caused from the electricity meter.

However, an electric transformer in front of the outlet as well as the adjacent building of Kidney Centre remained unharmed in the incident.

The rescue and police officials got the nearby buildings evacuated during the fire-fighting operation.

DSP city circle Aamir Abbas told Dawn that the police had registered an initial report of the incident as fortunately no human loss was reported in the incident but after the building got cool, the further investigation could be made to determine the exact cause of the fire.

He said the forensic analysis of such incidents might determine the exact cause of the incident as further investigation would be required.

Talking to Dawn, the DC said the initial report by the rescue 1122 officials had suggested that the electric short circuiting could possibly be the reason for fire in the building.

He said the administration had asked the owner of the building to not use the premises for any commercial purposes for the time being as the damage to the building would be assessed by the concerned authorities; however the building was not sealed.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2024