Lahore’s Hafeez Centre Incident

The Incident (July 10, 2025)

• A basement blaze erupted on Thursday, July 10, in the basement of Hafeez Centre on Gulberg Main Boulevard—Lahore’s major electronics hub.

• The fire began around 1:00 pm, likely due to an electrical short circuit in wiring ducts, then spread rapidly to upper floors via overheated conduits.

• Firefighters and emergency teams, with 20+ vehicles, contained the blaze before it engulfed the entire plaza. Thankfully, no casualties were reported.

INCIDENT RECAP: HAFEEZ CENTER FIRE (JULY 10, 2025)

Location

• Hafeez Center, Gulberg, Lahore: one of Pakistan's largest and busiest electronics and IT markets, housing over 1,000 shops.

Timeline

• Fire reportedly broke out in the basement at around 1:00 PM.

• Smoke quickly traveled upward through ducts and service shafts, reaching multiple floors.

• Dozens of shops were evacuated; some individuals were trapped in upper floors.

Initial Cause (Preliminary)

• Short circuit in the basement electrical wiring.

• Allegedly triggered by:

  • Overloaded circuits

  • Exposed wires

  • Faulty sub-distribution boards

Structural & Safety Deficiencies

• The fire reignited serious concerns about long-standing safety failures in the plaza.

• A 2018 Civil Defence warning had already flagged nine major violations: nonfunctional hydrants, missing fire alarms, inoperative extinguishers, no control room, and absent protective masks—none were rectified.

• A 14‑member committee convened by Punjab government previously described the structure as “dangerous,” sealing it in 2020 due to cracks and faulty systems.

ROOT CAUSES & SYSTEM FAILURES

Fire Safety Violations (Previously Ignored)

According to Punjab Civil Defence Department, Hafeez Center had failed to fix multiple violations reported in 2018, including:

•  Non-functional fire alarms

•  No working hydrants

•  Lack of fire extinguishers in critical areas

•  Absence of trained staff or firefighting team

•  Poorly marked or blocked emergency exits

•  No smoke ventilation systems

•  Lack of backup power for alarms and sprinklers

Structural Concerns

• Building declared structurally vulnerable by previous inspection teams.

• Improper renovations (e.g., illegal mezzanines, wall removals) weakened the integrity.

• Basements were overcrowded with flammable materials: batteries, wires, and unregulated storage units.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Agencies Involved

• Rescue 1122

• Lahore Fire Brigade

• Punjab Rangers

• Lahore Police

• Pakistan Navy (dispatched specialized rescue team)

Equipment Used

• High-lift cranes and ladders

• Smoke extractors

• Water tenders and foam cannons

Human Impact

• Fortunately, no confirmed fatalities.

• A few individuals treated for smoke inhalation.

• Several shopkeepers suffered from minor burns while trying to save goods.

Cause & Spread

• The fire was initiated by a short circuit, likely from exposed or overloaded wiring—common in such bazaars.

• Abundant electronics, batteries, and cabling acted as fuel, accelerating both the spread and intensity .

• The underground location of the fire enabled swift smoke travel throughout the building .

Emergency Response & Rescue

• Rescue 1122, police, Rangers, Pakistan Navy, and Lah­ore Fire & Rescue responded quickly, starting around 1 pm, with major firefighting operations completed within hours.

• Teams used aerial platforms, sky-lifts, and water browsers to evacuate trapped individuals—though fortunately, no fatalities occurred.

Financial & Operational Impact

• The blaze damaged hundreds of shops, though precise losses are still being calculate.

• In the 2020 fire, over Rs 2.5–3 billion in electronics were destroyed, affecting 250–300 shops.

• The building has been sealed pending structural safety review, and many shopkeepers relocated temporarily.

Recurrent Negligence

• The 2025 incident echoes the 2020 fire, with repeat violations, disregarded safety warnings, and regulatory lapses .

• Critics note the Lahore Development Authority, Civil Defence, and Municipal Board failed to enforce codes or act on prior violations.

• One Redditor from 2020 noted:

  “I’ve been to Hafeez centre … the billion electrical wires, 20 plugs in the same socket … a disaster waiting to happen.” 

Broader Context & Concerns

• Underground wiring, poor building modifications (shops converted improperly), and encroachments added risk .

• The fire underscores a systemic failure in urban fire safety for commercial plazas, requiring major policy and enforcement overhaul.

COMMERCIAL IMPACT

Financial Losses

• Estimated early losses: hundreds of millions of rupees.

• Most affected: mobile phones, laptops, servers, accessories, and storage hardware.

• Many vendors lost entire inventories stored in basement shops or warehouses.

Business Disruption

• All floors sealed after fire for forensic, safety, and engineering inspections.

• Hundreds of shopkeepers face unemployment, supply chain delays, and customer loss.

PATTERN OF NEGLIGENCE

2020 Fire – Déjà Vu

• A massive fire also broke out in October 2020, destroying 250+ shops.

• That incident prompted formation of a Punjab Government committee, which:

  • Declared the building unsafe

  • Ordered repairs and strict compliance

  • Recommended eviction of basement vendors

• None of the recommendations were implemented long-term.

Civic Response

• Many criticize LDA, Civil Defence, and building management for:

  • Allowing unapproved structural changes

  • Ignoring fire audit reports

  • Failing to enforce updated safety codes

GOVERNMENT ACTION (Pending/Announced)

Measure	Status
Forensic Audit of Wiring	Ordered by Punjab Disaster Management Authority
Structural Evaluation	Ongoing via Punjab Building Department
Compensation Scheme	Under review by Lahore District Administration
Safety Checklist Re-Inspection	Initiated for all commercial plazas in Gulberg
Emergency Contact Registry	Proposed for future emergency access

What’s Next?

• The plaza remains sealed until structural and safety inspections are complete.

• Authorities must address prior warnings comprehensively, including:

  • Complete fire system upgrades

  • Overhaul of electrical wiring

  • Installation of fire alarms, detectors, hydrants, and escape routes

• Affected shopkeepers will need financial support, relocation assistance, and legal enforcement of standards.