At least three dead in Lahore's Gulberg hotel fire

• All hotel guests evacuated safely, say police officials.
• Punjab CM says fire contained, at least 180 rescued.
• Two employees still trapped in basement: Punjab CM.
  

At least three people died after a fire broke out at a hotel in Lahore’s Gulberg area, rescue sources said on Saturday, with a Punjab minister saying the situation was largely under control.

Police said the blaze severely affected basement number one of the hotel, which is spread over four kanals and has 19 storeys, along with three basements.

Punjab Minister for Energy and Sports Faisal Ayub Khokhar said that all guests staying at the hotel were evacuated safely, adding that the situation was under control.

Hotel management initially reported one individual missing. Police later said a hotel employee, who worked as a CCTV operator, was still unaccounted for as the search and rescue operation continued.

Rescue sources later confirmed that the death toll from the incident had risen to two, one of whom was an employee working in the hotel's laundry.

However, no identification was provided for the second fatality.

Police said rescue teams remained on-site to complete clearance operations and to locate the missing staff member.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said that the fire was contained and the lives of hotel guests and staff were saved.

"The incident reaffirms a fundamental principle of governance: it must always be preemptive, not reactive," she wrote in a post on X.

In another post, the Punjab CM said that authorities rescued 180 and relocated them to safe locations.

She added that a 30-year-old, who was rescued in injured condition, succumbed to his injuries while en route to the hospital.

"[Two] employees still trapped in the basement. Employing all resources to get them out safely. The source of fire has been identified and contained," she said.