Gujar khan   -   After two days of closure, the fires near the Khewra salt mines have been successfully contained. As a result, tourists will be able to visit the mines Thursday (today). There has been a recent fire outbreak at the hillocks of Dhudhi Phaphra, which is situated around 17km away from Khewra salt mines. The Punjab Mines Development Corporation (PMDC) and Rescue 1122 authorities are currently working to extinguish the fires.

According to Malik Naeem, an officer of PMDC, the recent fire in the vicinity and the roofs of the salt mines had caused the closure of the tourist facility for the past two days.

The fire spread from the surroundings and has affected the area, making it unsafe for visitors. According to reports, Assistant Commissioner, P.D. Khan, Osama Sheron, along with the firefighters of Rescue 1122, worked tirelessly to bring the fires under control.

Their efforts paid off today, on Wednesday. According to Malik Naeem, the facility will be welcoming tourists again starting Thursday, as the area is now safe. According to Engineer Saeed Ahmed, the District Emergency Officer (DEO) of Rescue 1122, the fire near the salt mines has been successfully contained. He added that around 100 acres of the area were blazed, claiming that state forests remained safe.

However, there is another fire in the Dhudhi Phaphra area that has recently broken out. Fortunately, it is currently being brought under control, and measures are being taken to fully extinguish it, the DEO added.

He further added that the fires were a result of people carelessly discarding cigarette butts in the bushes.