Nine members of a family burnt to death due to short circuit in Qalandarabad area of Abbottabad

ABBOTTABAD, Dec 24 (SABAH): Nine members of a family burnt to death due to short circuit in Qalandarabad area of Abbottabad on Sunday. The dead persons includes a mother and eight children.

The roof of the kucha (mud) house collapsed in Tahari village of Qalandarabad in district Abbottabad due to a fire caused by a short-circuit after which nine family members were trapped under the rubble, according to rescue officials.

Locals initially retrieved seven bodies from under the rubble while the rescue operation for two other family members was underway. Later, the bodies of all nine family members were recovered from the rubble.

The deceased family members included a mother and eight children, added the rescue officials.

The Rescue 1122, along with three ambulances and locals made concerted efforts to extinguish the fire and rescue the residents, according to the official media.

Unfortunately, the wood and clay house quickly caught fire, impeding rescue activities.

The deceased persons were identified as the wife of Zakir, four daughters and four sons, including Hashim, Qasim, Hasan, and Sufyan. The bodies have been shifted to a nearby hospital.

The community mourns the loss as authorities work to investigate the cause of the tragic incident and ensure the safety of other residents in the area.

Meanwhile, Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Syed Arshad Hussain Shah expressed deep grief and sorrow over the unfortunate incident.

In a statement in Peshawar, he prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.