Fire and flats

It is shocking to note that it took ten hours to extinguish fire at the Karachi timber market. It is a matter of shame for all the concerned stakeholders that despite the fact that this metropolitan city had seen such incidents in the past, no lessons were learnt from those tragedies. There were reports of inadequate supply of water as well as foam at the site of the blaze – described as Category 3 open fire by the chief fire officer.
There are a few questions to be asked: Was there any static water storage tank in the vicinity of the market? Was there any fire-fighting equipment? Who authorised the construction of the timber market in a congested area? Who will bear the losses suffered by the occupants of flats? Was the market insured? The Sindh government should probe how residential complexes are allowed to be built in a market with such poor access. This greatly hindered the movement of fire engines. The government should fix responsibility without any discrimination.
Engr R Riaz Akbar
Wah Cantt