An initial report probing Indigo Hotel Lahore fire incident said that the automatic fire alarm system of the hotel was not functioning at the time of the fire. The report further revealed that hotel management used a manual alarm system, due to which people present in the hotel received information after facing a delay.  The report said that the Civil Defence Department issued a notice to the management of the hotel about two and a half months ago, but the hotel management ignored it.

The gas pipeline that was lying beside the boiler suddenly exploded. The boiler was installed in Basement No. 1. Huge smoke engulfed the basement after which all members who were in the basement became unconscious, and they were making failed attempts to rescue them from the site. Earlier, police arrested two suspects following the tragic fire incident at the Indigo Hotel in Gulberg. 

An FIR No. 237/26 has been registered at Gulberg Police Station, confirmed by the spokesperson for the DIG Operations.  According to the FIR, the fire that broke out at the hotel a day earlier caused damage to valuable goods and property.  According to the spokesperson, the arrested accused include nominated suspects Kamil and Bilal.  The spokesperson said that raids are underway to arrest the other three nominated suspects, identified as Fazil Ahmed, Nadeem Mirza and Atif. 

An FIR No. 237/26 has been registered at Gulberg Police Station, confirmed by the spokesperson for the DIG Operations. The case has been registered under the Pakistan Penal Code and Civil Defense laws. The FIR includes sections 322, 427, 285, 286 and 337 of the PPC, along with Section 9 of the Civil Defense Rules, 1951.  According to the FIR, the fire that broke out at the hotel a day earlier caused damage to valuable goods and property. The incident occurred due to negligence on the part of the hotel management and failure to comply with fire safety warnings. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)