RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chau-dhry said that a committee had been constituted to investigate the cause behind inferno at Press Information Department (PID) building that broke out here on Wednesday.

The committee will be headed by the secretary information. A fire broke out at the PID building in the afternoon on its third floor, and quickly engulfed other parts of the building too. Luckily, no loss of life or injury was reported. Some of the people present inside the building escaped through stairs whereas others were rescued by the fire-fighters.

According to officials from the rescue department, it took eight fire hydrants two hours to put the fire out after it started around 1:30pm.

The fire brigade vehicles quickly reached the spot to extinguish the blaze. Sixteen fire vehicles and 175 fire-fighters took part in the operation.

The fire brigade officials said there was no loss of life reported and the fire was brought under control.

Secretary Information Shafqat Jaleel also visited the site, but he did not comment on the number of records that may have been destroyed by the fire.

The fire department officials said the presence of papers, ink and other chemicals inside the building fuelled the blaze.

Speaking outside the PID building after the fire was extinguished, the information minister commended the prompt response by the fire department. He said that as per his knowledge all important records and archives are safe.

The minister blamed the dilapidated state of the building for the incident, and said all the records of PID are being digitalised. He said that a committee has been constituted to ascertain the cause of fire.

Contingents of Army and Rangers personnel were also seen at the site.