Pakistan: Fire engulfs Customs Intelligence Office in Quetta, one injured

May 02, 2022

Quetta [Balochistan], May 2 : A man was grievously injured after a fire erupted at the Customs Intelligence Office on Quetta's Airport Road on Sunday.
The wounded man was soon transferred to a Civil Hospital in Quetta, reported the Dawn newspaper. The fire tenders also arrived within an hour after the incident took place and put out the fire.
It is presumed that the fire broke out after an explosion at the office. Although reports claimed that an explosion have caused the fire, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Abdul Haq Imrani did not confirm the reports and dismissed claims of a supposed blast.
However, he said that the authorities were investigating the matter to find the source of the fire. According to the police, several files and records were burned to ash because of the fire, reported the Dawn newspaper.
Further, Sanaullah, a security guard who was appointed at the office when the fire erupted, said that before the "explosion and the subsequent fire", three armed men were seen barging into the office. The unidentified men also held the staff members hostage. Soon after they departed, the fire broke out.
"They tied [the staff members'] hands and tortured them," said the security guard, as reported by Dawn newspaper.
Meanwhile, the SSP said that the security guard would be questioned."