Internet disrupted as fiber optic cable set on fire in Islamabad

The internet services affected in several cities including Islamabad and Peshawar on Tuesday after fiber optic cable set on fire in the federal capital, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The cable set ablaze was passing on the bridge of Ninth Avenue connecting I-8 and I-9 Sectors.

The incident has undermined internet services in a number of cities including Islamabad, Peshawar, Murree and Abbottabad.

Unknown persons set fire to the underground fiber optic cable by sprinkling petrol at 10:30 am, sources said and added all internet-connected services were affected by the fire.

Experts and engineers of various telecom and cable companies brought the fire under control by 12:30 pm.

Engineers and representatives of various telecom and cable companies were now working on the maintenance and repair of the fiber optic cable.

The sources further said that banking, telecom and other sectors faced losses of millions of rupees due to the fire in fire optics cable.

Fiber optics experts said it will take a few more hours to fully restore the services.

They further said this is the fourth or fifth incident of fiber optic cable fire in the last few months.

Many times before, unknown persons have escaped by setting fire to the fiber optic cable at the same place, the experts added.

Despite four to five incidents and CCTV cameras in the vicinity, the unknown persons could not be traced till date.

On December 19, 2023, fiber optics cable was first set on fire by spraying petrol at the same place, the experts recalled.

Earlier it was reported that some gas pipeline has caught fire on the bridge.

Despite the passage of several hours, rescue teams were not dispatched by the Islamabad administration despite the intensity of the fire.

Meanwhile, a fire was broke out in a private bank located in a plaza in SEcotr I-9 in Islamabad on Tuesday morning.

The fire brigade personnel rushed to the site and doused the fire quickly.

Reporters: Hashar Ahsan and Anwar Abbas