PESHAWAR: At 4 a.m. on Monday, a significant blaze broke out within a shopping center located in Saddar, Peshawar.
Approximately 26 vehicles, comprising water browsers, and a contingent of 130 firefighters have mobilized at the shopping center to manage the ongoing fire. Rescue officials have indicated that extinguishing the fire will require a considerable amount of time.
The Time Centre Plaza, a two-storey structure housing around 200 shops, including mobile phones, UPS, and other electronics stores, has fallen victim to the blaze. The rescue team reports that the entire building is now engulfed in flames, resulting in a substantial financial loss in the millions of rupees. Adjacent residences near the shopping center have been evacuated as a precautionary measure.
To aid in the firefighting efforts, teams from various districts, including Khyber, Nowshera, Mardan, and Charsadda, have been summoned to the incident site. The operation is under the supervision of Corps Commander Peshawar, Lieutenant General Hasan Azhar Hayat. Unfortunately, the fire has ravaged hundreds of shops, as stated by the rescue team.
The director general of Rescue 1122 has reported that approximately 70% of the fire has been brought under control. He mentioned that the firefighting personnel are diligently working towards complete containment, noting a reduction in the blaze’s intensity.
“The fire keeps erupting because of the batteries inside the plaza,” he added.
