Inquiry committee highlights safety gaps, stall misuse, emergency response issues in H-9 market fire

ISLAMABAD, Jul 10 (APP):An inquiry committee formed by the Islamabad district administration has released its report on the H-9 Market fire, detailing how a blaze that started at 9:45 pm spread through the market before being brought under control at 1:20 am.

The report traces the sequence of events, identifies safety concerns, and proposes measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

According to the report, the fire initially broke out in stalls C-432 and C-433. The committee recorded statements from security personnel, shopkeepers, and other individuals connected to the market to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The report states that market staff first attempted to extinguish the fire on their own after it erupted at 9:45 pm. Fire brigade services were informed at 9:51 pm, while the first fire vehicle entered the market at 10:02 pm. Assistant Commissioner I-9, the first government officer to reach the site, arrived at 9:57 pm.

Emergency operations involved teams from Capital Emergency Services and Rescue 1122 Rawalpindi. Fire tenders from the Jinnah Convention Centre and water browsers from Naval Headquarters also participated in the response effort. Authorities succeeded in bringing the fire under full control at 1:20 am.

The committee found that several vendors were using their stalls as storage facilities by keeping additional goods inside them. The report also revealed that some stalls had been rented out to other operators, resulting in non-compliance with fire safety requirements.

Investigators noted that market guards had received fire safety training once three years ago and twice in 2025. However, the report found that the designated fire tender was not present at its assigned location when the fire broke out. Rescue officials informed the committee that the vehicle had left to refill its water supply.

The inquiry further noted that watchmen initially attempted to control the fire themselves instead of immediately informing rescue services. It also concluded that the market lacked sufficient facilities and equipment to contain a sudden fire emergency.

The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The report states that a final conclusion regarding the origin of the blaze will depend on findings from a forensic investigation.

To reduce the risk of future incidents, the committee has proposed several recommendations. These include imposing a strict ban on storing goods in stalls during nighttime hours and requiring vendors to keep merchandise in stalls only during market operating hours.

The committee also recommended a comprehensive fire safety audit of the market, a ban on the use of highly flammable tarpaulin materials, and a prohibition on subletting stalls. Under the proposed measures, stall allocations could be cancelled if violations are found.

In addition, the report calls for improvements in emergency service operations and response mechanisms to strengthen preparedness for future fire incidents.