KASUR: Dozens of makeshift garment and shoe stalls were burnt on Sunday in a fire erupting in Purani Mandi area of Pattoki.

According to Rescue 1122, the fire broke outaround 1.30am and soon engulfed over 50 makeshift stalls, reducing them to ashes.

The affected shopkeepers accused the administration of carrying out a lackluster fire extinguishing operation despite being timely informed of the incident. They allegedthat only one fire-fighting vehicle was deployed, which failed to speedily extinguish the blaze.

Moreover, they said that in the middle of the operation, the water tank of the vehicle got empty that caused further delay in putting off the fire, resulting in massivefinancial losses to them.

Though no casualty was reported, the blaze gutted the merchandise worth millions of rupees, they said, demanding a probe into the incident.

Pattoki assistant commissioner also visited the burnt shops and ordered an inquiry into the incident. This was the third fire incident in a year in the market, where lowpriced garments, shoes and other items are sold.

The land where these stalls have been set up is owned by municipal committee and is surrounded by shops selling expensive items.

According to local sources, these stalls are a permanent source of income, not only for the municipal committee, but also for the officials that extort money from the shopkeepers on one pretext or other.