Massive fire engulfs more than 300 stalls at Islamabad’s Sunday market

A massive fire erupted at Islamabad’s Sunday Bazaar on Wednesday, engulfing over 300 stalls, Dawn News reported, with police saying an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

The incident occurred at the capital’s I-9 open-air market, where vendors set up stalls each week to sell a wide variety of goods. A Dawn News Correspondent, who was reporting live from the site of the incident, said that several fire trucks were present at the market to douse the flames.

“The process of putting out the fire is currently underway, while due to a shortage of fire brigades in Islamabad, help has been sought from Rawalpindi rescue teams and the firefighting team of the Pakistan Navy,” the correspondent said.

He added that no casualties have so far been reported, however, goods worth millions of rupees stored in the stalls were reduced to ashes, prompting vendors to voice their grievances to the market’s administration.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad Police said that the entire area surrounding the market has been cordoned off and evidence is being collected from the scene to ascertain the cause of the fire.

“A full investigation into the fire will also be carried out [while] all arrangements have been made to maintain flow of traffic around the area,” the capital police wrote on the X platform.

“Citizens are requested not to form unnecessary gatherings and cooperate with the police,” it added.

Last month, a fire broke out in Peshawar’s Nauthia Phattak area, destroying at least 80 shops mostly selling used goods and injuring three people.

Rescue 1122 officials said the fire started in a small makeshift structure alongside the railway line, spreading to nearby shops and engulfing wooden cabins and a power transformer.