2 killed in fire at hotel in Lahore’s Gulberg

At least two people were killed in a fire at a hotel in Lahore’s Gulberg, according to rescue officials.

Punjab Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Farooq Ahmed said at least two people had been killed in the fire at Indigo Hotel. He said the victims were identified as Shehreyar, approximately 25-years-old, and Riaz, approximately 30-years-old.

A separate statement by Edhi said that the bodies had been shifted to the hospital.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif also shared several updates about the incident on the social media platform X.

She said the fire occurred in the basement of the hotel. She said 280 people, including 180 guests and 100 staff members, had been rescued.

She said one injured was referred to the Services Hospital while two had “suffocated”.

“All individuals have been successfully rescued except one, Riaz. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, and every effort is being made to locate him. His cell phone is going unanswered. We remain hopeful that he will be found alive soon,” she said.

Earlier, she said she was monitoring the evacuation and rescue operation through the Safe City drone system.

She had also said the incident was caused by the “explosion of the air-conditioning system boiler”, terming it “severe”.

“Strict directives have been issued: All commercial boiler and cylinder installations across Punjab must fully comply with safety standards. Any premises found compromising public safety will be sealed immediately, without exception,” she said.

The development comes as Karachi is reeling from a deadly fire at a popular shopping mall, which has claimed 71 lives so far.

On Thursday, the Punjab government gave two weeks to stakeholders to implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) in plazas, schools and hospitals in the wake of Gul Plaza inferno.

“A building grading system has now been introduced across the province, under which safe buildings will be categorised as A-grade, while others will be graded according to their condition. The firefighting sector is being upgraded with modern technology, drones and state-of-the-art equipment,” Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said at a press conference in Lahore.