Shop gutted at Balach Fire Brigade could not reach timely.
By: Gul Hamaad Farooqi
CHITRAL: A shop on main road Balach near PSO petrol pump was gutted at morning but fire brigade could not timely. According to District Police Officer (DPO) Ghulam Hussain a shop was gutted at Balach near Petrol pump of Pakistan State Oil as a result goods worth of 0.5 million gutted.
Eye witness said that fire burnt suddenly in the shop of Ameer Baig son of Deenar Baig resident of Balach where goods worth of 500000 were gutted and converted in ashes. An eye witness Suhbanuddin said that I called to Fire brigade staff 3 times as well as to local police station and fire brigade staff told me that it will be move immediately but unfortunately the fire brigade reached here when all goods were gutted and burnt totally. He said that despite information to TMA on telephone they could not move fire brigade. He said that if the fire brigade reach timely might they overcome the fire and some goods could be saved from burning.
Another staff working in a civil society organization said that first of all they saw that flames raising from the general store of Ameer Baig so they immediately informed Fire brigade staff on telephone but it reached after 1 hour when the fire burnt all things inside the shop. The local people said that this is not first time of fire brigade which reach very late after burning of all commodities but it reach very late always.
Some local people complained that there are more than 110 staff in TMA some 10 drivers but no body is present in the office and most of its staff remain at their houses are running their private business as a result precious goods gutting in case of fire but Fire brigade of Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) reach very late after the fire anguishing automatically after burning all goods.
A staff member of Fire Brigade told this scribe when he asked that why they reach late he simply told that our office telephone is attending by our officers and when they informed us we move the fire place it means that their officers told them very late.
DPO Chitral also revealed that we had informed Fire brigade staff and they assured that it will be reached to the spot to anguish the fire timely.
A large number of the area gathered on the spot and they putting water on fire through different pots and were trying to control the fire to not spread to Petrol pump which is situated only 30 meters from this shop which was gutted.
Chief Municipal Officer Muhammad Zahir Khan also reached to the gutted shop which had been burnt totally and he told this scribe that we move our fire brigade timely.
Social and political circle of Chitral demanded from provincial government as well as from district administration to conduct inquiry in this connection and to assure attendance of a large number of staff of TMA Chitral and to bound Fire Brigade staff to be red alert any time to reach timely to fire place in case of any emergency.
G.H. Farooqi C/O Manager bank Islami Main branch Chitral Pakistan phone No (0092) 0943-320737, 0943-316052, 0943-414418 ,03205989602, 03025989602, 03337069572, 03159698446, 03469002167
email: gulhamad@gmail.com,ghfarooqi@rediffmail.com, gulhamaad786@yahoo.co.uk,journalist786@outlook.com
