Fire in Islamabad's Marriott Hotel, nine injured

A massive fire broke out in Islamabad's Marriott Hotel, five months after a suicide attack on September 20 last year that killed over 50 people and injured 250.

A major fire broke out in Islamabad's Marriott Hotel on Thursday afternoon, five months after a devastating suicide attack on Sep 20 last year killed over 50 people and injured 250.

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At least nine people were injured in the fire and the hotel was evacuated.

Thick smoke billowed out of the windows of the hotel, one of the two five-star hotels in the Pakistani capital.

According to Geo TV, the fire broke out in two unopened floors of the hotel, on the foothills of the Margalla range.

Firefighters were quoted as saying that they feared the hotel, which reopened partially in December after the terror attack, might collapse if the fire was not brought under control soon.

A boiler blast could be the reason behind the blaze, reports said.

Eyewitnesses said explosions were heard before the fire broke out in the hotel.