PESHAWAR: Nine members of a family were killed in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday after the roof of their house collapsed due to a fire, a rescue official confirmed.
The tragedy took place in Abbottabad district’s Tarhairi village where fire consumed a house due to short circuit, causing its roof to collapse. A mother and her eight children were killed in the fire, rescue officials confirmed.
“All nine members of the family were buried under the [rubble] as the house was not a strong structure,” Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Faizi said in a statement.
The roof collapsed as the house was reportedly made out of wood and had instantly caught on fire following the short circuit.
A search and rescue operation by Rescue 1122 was launched which lasted for four hours before all the bodies were recovered from the rubble, Faizi said. He added the bodies were shifted to a nearby hospital.
Caretaker Chief Minister Syed Arshad Hussain Shah expressed deep grief and sorrow over the incident.
In a statement, Shah prayed for the peace of the departed souls and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.
