SOUTH WAZIRISTAN : A sudden fire broke out in the timber market located in Shekai valley of South Waziristan, which engulfed several shops.
The fire burned valuable wood, furniture and other goods to ashes, resulting in a loss worth about seven million rupees.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire broke out late at night when the market was closed. Suddenly, high flames and smoke rose, and the locals reached the spot and tried to extinguish the fire with their own help.
As soon as the incident was reported, the local FC Wing, rescue teams and residents of the area took joint action and brought the fire under control after several hours of struggle. However, the fire was so intense that several shops were completely burnt down and goods worth lakhs of rupees were lost.
The reasons for the fire were not initially known, however, according to local sources, short circuit or careless lighting of the fire could be the possible causes. The district administration has started an investigation into the incident to determine the real reasons for the fire.
The affected shopkeepers have appealed to the government and the district administration and the elected representatives for immediate financial assistance and fair com They say that the fire has destroyed all their sources of livelihood, so only with the provision of compensation will they be able to restart their businesses.
The people of the area have also demanded that the government improve the fire safety system and emergency rescue arrangements in the timber market so that such incidents are avoided in the future.
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