ISLAMABAD: A preliminary report revealed major administrative lapses behind the recent H-9 Sunday Bazaar fire. The initial investigation blamed serious safety violations for the rapid spread of the blaze. According to official sources, the fire erupted at 9:50pm. The flames tore through approximately 300 shops within just five minutes. Consequently, the Capital Development Authority sealed the market immediately. They blocked all entry points while cooling operations continued.
The initial findings highlighted critical mistakes by the market management. Officials had moved the only available fire truck outside the bazaar gates before locking up. Thus, this single vehicle proved completely insufficient to contain the flames. Furthermore, the entire bazaar lacked basic fire hydrants. This deficiency severely hampered the rescue capabilities of the firefighting teams.
Additionally, stall holders openly violated standard fire safety procedures. Many vendors covered their stalls with flammable tarpaulins. As a result, these materials acted as aggressive accelerants. They allowed the fire to leap rapidly across multiple market sections.
In response, the District Magistrate constituted an eight-member inquiry committee. The Additional Deputy Commissioner General will lead this investigation. The committee must determine the exact cause and assess financial damages within three days. Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 teams have extinguished 80 percent of the fire. Authorities confirmed zero casualties from the incident.
However, the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran strongly blamed the disaster management wing. Traders’ body president Ajmal Baloch demanded the immediate dismissal of top officials. He noted that traders have lost millions for the fourth time. Ultimately, the traders threatened a formal protest if the government failed to compensate the affected vendors.
