Six siblings burnt alive in Lahore

LAHORE

Six children of a family were killed when a fire broke out in their house due to a short circuit in the Shadbagh area in the small hours of Sunday.

The deceased children were identified as five-year- old Hanan, eight-year-old Dua, 11-year-old Zain, 12-year-old Minahil and 18-month-old twins Azaan and Azhan — all children of Qaisar Shah.

The family and the people of the area said five brothers — Mohammad Makhdoom, Mubasher Shah, Qaisar Shah, Faisal Shah and Farasat Shah, residents of Shershah Road, Kot Khwaja Saeed, were living in the building along with their families in separate portions.

When the fire broke out, the mother raised an alarm and tried to rescue her children. But the neighbours couldn’t help her as the fire was fierce.

By the time rescue services arrived, all six children had burnt alive, police said. The mother was rescued in serious condition and hospitalised. The father was not at home when the fire broke out.

The fire erupted on the first floor of the three-storey building where three of the children were sleeping. The fire soon spread to the second floor, where the other three children were sleeping. They all were burnt alive.

The locals said fire-fighters reached the scene very late and without adequate equipment. They said there was no water in the fire-tenders and rescue work could not be started immediately.

“If they had reached the spot timely, at least four children could have been saved,” said an old man who declined to be named.Another neighbour said the fire-fighters had reached the scene very late and were unable to put out the fire either due to incompetence or lack of essential tools and equipment.

In separate statements, President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed their grief and sympathy with the bereaved family.Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif ordered the authorities concerned to investigate what caused the delay in fire-fighters reaching the scene.Namaz-e-Janaza of the children was offered by hundreds of people and they were laid to rest in the afternoon.