Shahalam market fire

The devastating Shahalam market blaze, said to be result of an electrical short-circuit at 10-storey Bahria Commercial Centre early on Monday engulfed 11 mini markets, including seven plazas, 250 shops and 50 houses, in the dense commercial zone, leaving four people dead and 30 others injured, 12 critically. This may push up the final death toll.
Three persons were reported missing, which may mean that they are trapped under the debris. Preliminary estimates have put the financial loss at over Rs 3 billion, though it is too early for a definitive assessment. In terms of financial loss, the Shahalam blaze has been likened to the mysterious Lahore dry port fire of April 7, 1996. Assistance of at least two army helicopters to the ground fire-fighting operations helped curtail the duration of the blaze.
According to the latest reports, the fire has finally been brought under control, though it may take some more time before having easy access to the destroyed houses and plazas. Tons of collapsed infrastructure and narrow winding lanes had hindered the fire engines' access to the spot, which had caused the blaze to spread rapidly and engulf the surrounding area as well. It is claimed that dozens of people and families were trapped inside the buildings. A major cause of the extensive destruction caused by the blaze is said to be the collapsed hydrant system in the walled city, which forced the fire engines to fetch water each time from the main centre, which resulted in loss of precious time.
There is a need to repair and operationalise the hydrants, and making the lanes more spacious by removing unauthorised constructions. The resourceful plaza owners and businessmen are known to have thwarted or deflected, through various means, "clean-up" operations launched in the past by city government authorities. There is a need to continue such operations with greater frequency and determination.
The main cause of such tragedies is often identified as electrical "short-circuit" or gas leakage, both of which are hard to determine with finality in the post-blaze meltdown, when investigators make inquiries, because much of the precious evidence is often already lost in the confusion of rescue operations. In such cases the investigators have to rely mostly on eyewitness accounts. A possibility that is often discounted is that of arson. Therefore, such incidents should be investigated from every possible angle. As each market has an elected market committee, the office holders need to make it mandatory for all members to invest a certain amount per annum on repair and maintenance of electrical gears and wires.
Such compulsory investment will be worth it. Storage of dangerous chemicals in the open and the retailing of CNG at makeshift roadside establishments in congested localities is another hazard that needs to be taken care of, under a policy framework as such hazards have become unavoidable. It will be recalled that a devastating explosion in chemical drums placed in the open at Circular Road some years ago had caused large-scale death and destruction. There are plenty of laws on the statute book; what is needed is their rigorous enforcement.
The destruction of property and merchandise in Shahalam blaze will not only hit business activity; it may also negatively impact the volume of taxes collected from that area. Now that the blaze has been put out, the provincial government needs to see to it that business activity is put back on rails in the shortest possible time to keep the financial loss to the minimum.
As life has been badly disrupted in areas adjoining Shahalam and Mochi Gate, the reconstruction of damaged or destroyed infrastructure needs to be given top priority, so that dislocated families and businesses are able to rejoin the mainstream. Dangling high-tension electricity wires in narrow lanes must be removed to save the congested city localities. Secondly, Lahore's walled city is home to priceless and ageless monuments of historical and cultural significance, which must be protected from such hazards under a policy framework. It is these historical buildings and monuments that have earned the walled city a niche on the world heritage list.
The runaway commercialisation of the walled city needs to be diversified so that its historical and cultural character is preserved. The government needs to consider installation of a centralised fire alarm system connected to local police and fire stations, which will allow the authorities initiate fire-fighting operations before the blaze spreads to other localities. The government should arrange soft-term credit for the affected businessmen. The reconstruction work must be started immediately.