Over 300 stalls were destroyed in a large fire that broke out at Islamabad’s Sunday Bazaar on Wednesday, according to Dawn News. Police are currently investigating the source of the incident.
The event happened at the capital’s I-9 open-air market, where weekly stalls are set up by vendors selling a wide range of merchandise. Several fire vehicles were at the market to put out the fire, according to a Dawn News correspondent who was reporting live from the scene of the event.
The journalist reported, “The fire is currently being put out. The Pakistan Navy’s firefighting team and the Rawalpindi rescue teams have been contacted for assistance due to the lack of fire brigades in Islamabad.”
Although no injuries have been reported to date, he continued, commodities worth millions of rupees that were kept in the stalls were turned to ashes, which prompted traders to complain to the market’s management.
The entire vicinity of the market has been blocked off, according to the Islamabad Police, and evidence is being gathered from the site to determine the source of the fire.
The capital police posted on the X platform, “A thorough investigation into the fire will also be conducted [while] all arrangements have been made to maintain flow of traffic around the area.”
It said, “Citizens are asked not to organize needless gatherings and to assist the police.”
A fire that occurred in the Nauthia Phattak neighborhood of Peshawar last month destroyed at least eighty stores, the most of which sold secondhand products, and injured three individuals.
According to Rescue 1122 officials, the fire began in a small improvised building next to the railroad tracks, moved to surrounding businesses, and consumed a power transformer as well as wooden cottages.
