Four children among seven killed in building fire in Pakistan

Seven members of a family, including four children, were killed on Friday when a major fire engulfed a five-storey building in a crowded market area of Pakistan's Punjab province.

The fire broke out in early hours of Friday in the building in Montgomery Bazaar area of Faisalabad city, some 130kms from Lahore, according to Punjab's emergency service, Rescue 1122.

''So far seven people, including four children, believed to be members of one family have been burnt alive and the charred bodies shifted to the city mortuary,'' an emergency service spokesperson said.

He said one person who jumped from the building to escape the fire has been shifted to a hospital in critical condition.

The firefighters faced difficulties in reaching the building as it was located in narrow alleys.

Only one family was said to be residing in the building and apparently a short-circuit caused the fire, the spokesperson said.

Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the tragic incident and directed the authorities concerned to provide help to the victim family.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)