LAHORE (MNN); Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday directed deputy commissioners across the province to ensure the installation of fire hydrants in all commercial and high-rise buildings within the next 30 days.
The directives were issued during a provincial cabinet meeting in Lahore, which was broadcast live on television, days after a deadly fire broke out at a hotel in Lahore’s Gulberg area. The incident claimed three lives, left seven people with burn injuries, and led to the safe evacuation of 275 hotel guests and staff members.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister instructed deputy commissioners to strictly ensure that all under-construction buildings are equipped with proper fire safety systems before completion. She stressed that all installed safety equipment must be fully functional.
Maryam Nawaz also ordered that the prices of fire hydrants be fixed for the next 90 days, warning that costs could rise due to increased demand following stricter safety enforcement.
She further directed that all commercial plazas must be equipped with first-aid facilities, oxygen cylinders, automatic water sprinkler systems, and properly ventilated emergency staircases, preferably located outside buildings.
The chief minister imposed a ban on boilers and hazardous or smoke-emitting materials in building basements, ordering immediate sealing of substandard boilers. She warned that boiler explosions could cause massive destruction and loss of life, stressing that even a single death devastates entire families.
Highlighting safety lapses in markets dealing with chemicals, plastics and garments, Maryam Nawaz said negligence, encroachments and overcrowding worsen emergencies by blocking exits and causing suffocation. She ordered the removal of encroachments and clearance of all entry and exit points.
Praising rescue teams, she said the swift five-minute response by Rescue 1122 prevented a larger tragedy. She also expressed sorrow over the recent fire in Karachi’s Gul Plaza and assured solidarity and support with the affected families.
