A massive fire broke out in a popular Sunday bazaar in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Wednesday, burning down nearly 300 shops and stalls. The fire started at Gate No. 7 of the bazaar, which sells used clothes and carpets, according to various media reports. Officials said 10 fire engines battled for several hours to douse the blaze. They were assisted by two firefighting units of the Pakistan Air Force.
However, no causal links were reported following the incident. The scale of the fire was so massive that it quickly engulfed the shops and left over 300 people burned, media reported. Home Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan took cognizance of the incident and sought a report from the district administration and directed the Deputy Commissioner to monitor the rescue operation.
All roads leading to the bazaar were sealed by the police. On Twitter, Islamabad Police informed citizens to keep the adjacent part of Srinagar Highway clear and cooperate with the rescue department. It added that traffic was being diverted towards 9th Avenue. The bazaar located in the G-9 area of ​​the city has a history of fires. In October 2019, over 300 stalls were gutted in an early morning blaze.
In July 2018, at least 90 shops and stalls in the clothing and hosiery section were burnt down in a fire. A year earlier in August 2017, a fire broke out in E and F sections of the bazaar after a solar-powered battery exploded in a hosiery stall. Established in 1980, the weekly bazaar of Sector H-9 covers 25 acres of land with a capacity of 2,760 stalls and shops. The bazaar is held three times a week on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, but is known locally only as the Sunday bazaar. It is frequented by the rich and poor of the city as a place for groceries, fruits, vegetables, used clothes, carpets and several other daily necessities.
