Two persons lost their lives while records of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Centre of Excellence was also gutted after fire erupted in Islamabad's six-storey Awami Markaz. However, a CPEC spokesperson said that the office of the economic corridor is completely safe and no government data or documents are kept there.
The think-tank - CPEC Centre of Excellence - was launched in March earlier this year at a cost of $468 million to promote research and knowledge-based policy-making in the country. The centre was jointly inaugurated by then minister for planning, development and reforms Ahsan Iqbal and Ambassador of China to Pakistan Sun Weidong.
The building situated at the Constitutional Avenue in the heavily-guarded red zone of the capital caught fire reportedly due to short circuit early morning and despite day-long efforts to douse the fire, the fire-fighters could not control the blaze which claimed lives of two men and injured another. According to officials of the ICT administration, two night-shift employees, identified as Ali Raza and Umer, had jumped out of the building to escape the inferno. They were admitted to a hospital with severe wounds where they succumbed to their injuries.
They said that initially, the fire started due to short-circuit in an air-conditioning plant and almost engulfed the entire tower which is located on the Constitutional Avenue of the federal capital. Third victim, Umer Ejaz was taken to Burns Unit of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) where he was being treated for his injuries. Despite several hours of effort, the fire-fighters could not extinguish the fire till filing of this report. After the civic body's fire extinguishers completely failed to extinguish the fire, the administration sought help from Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Navy who managed to extinguish the fire and cleared the building.
According to the rescue officials, the victims were staffers at a call centre located inside the building. Seven fire tenders, sky lifts and water bowsers took part in the operation to douse the flames. The fire-fighters began the cooling operation to avoid any further eruptions but after sometime the fire erupted again on the fourth floor. Ambulances of Rescue 1122 service rushed to the scene.
Rescue workers said they broke the building's windowpanes to enter and safely evacuated 12 people. Till the filing of this report, search for the missing watchman of the building continued.
A senior administration official said that the government has formed a four-member committee headed by the additional deputy commissioner Islamabad (East) to investigate the matter which will submit its report within three days. The office of the Federal Tax Ombudsman situated there was also gutted. The building has completely been destroyed, said the administration officials.
In the wake of fire in Awami Markaz Software Technology Park on early Sunday Islamabad's deputy mayor Zeeshan Shah claimed that offices were burnt. But, the spokesperson for the CPEC denied it saying that the office is completely safe and no government data or documents are kept there.