RAWALPINDI Five students and a teacher were burned to death and eight others injured when a fire broke out at a private hostel for girls in the cantonment area here on Monday.

According to officials and eyewitnesses, the fire took place in a room in the top floor of the three-storey National Foundation Girls Hostel at about 4.15pm. It shortly spread to other rooms of the building, housing 45 girls of different colleges and universities.

An eyewitness said that girls staying in adjoining rooms of the same floor started screaming after the fire and hostel staff rushed to their rescue. When they opened room No 314 it caused an explosion and flames started shooting up.

Mr Zeeshan, the owner of the hostel, told journalists that shortly after the power supply was restored he saw smoke coming out of the room. Two girls died on the spot, he said.

Personnel of police and Rescue 1122 rushed to the place and extinguished the fire after more than 90 minutes. The top floor of the building was damaged. Some of the girls were evacuated through ladders after breaking windowpanes.

Those who died were identified as Iqra Naheed (medical college student), Naveeda Mazhar (B.Ed student), Sobia Yunas, Farah Naz, Attia Batool and Humma (teacher).

A hostel boy who suffered burn injuries was in a serious condition. Seven girls suffering from smoke inhalation were treated by medical staff of Rescue 1122 on the spot.

The building is being used as girls' hostel having a capacity for 145 students. Forty girls were staying in the hostel at the time of the fire. There was no fire-extinguishing system in the building.

An inquiry has been launched to ascertain the cause of the fire.

Rawalpindi administrator Imdadullah Bosal confirmed that six students had died and one was injured. He said the building was leased by Fauji Foundation to Mr Zeeshan.