LDA Plaza hell, away from the control even after 14 hours

LAHORE: Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Plaza inferno is far from under control even more than 14 hours of firefighting efforts.At least five persons jumped to death fleeing fire and dozens of others received serious burns and other fire-related injuries after a fire broke out on the 7th floor of the LDA Plaza, Egerton Road here on Thursday.Scores of people are still trapped inside the high-rise building, where fire spread to upper floors while the thick clouds of smoke engulfed the affected storeys.However, LDA sources said at least 13 employees from different departments were stranded in the building as yet.The rescue teams, fire brigade units are still struggling o tame the blaze, which spread to the 8th and 9th floors of the building.A military helicopter was also used to rescue people trapped on the rooftop of the LDA Plaza.Punjab government helicopters also joined the operation to rescue people and extinguish the fire.Rescuers faced difficulties in carrying out operation because of thick clouds of smoke while people outside the plaza also created hurdles in the operation.Rescue sources said the fire broke out due to short circuit and went out of control as poor access to the building made it extremely difficult for the rescue workers to enter it.Unfortunately the LDA building lacked proper safety measures like in-house firefighting equipment, which was one of the main reasons the fire spread so fast.All the fatalities were caused when people stranded inside the building on fire jumped out of the windows owing to suffocation and desperation.The Rescue 1122 pulled many people through and ambulanced them to the hospital.According to Rescue 1122 spokesman, nine fire engines, two turntable ladders, aerial platforms, water bowsers, and other firefighting equipment have been employed to control the blaze.The injured have been identified as Zaffar Khan, Shamas Alam, Waseem Shah, Ikram Ul Haq, Ishaq, Jamshed, Talib Hussain, M. Iqbal, Riaz, Nasir, Khadim, Azam, Naseer, Anwar, Ramzan and others whereas two rescuers naming Sabir and Ghulam Mustafa also sustained burn injuries.Two of the deceased have been identified as Muhammad Riaz and Muhammad Iqbal.