<p> Twenty-three children, aged between seven and 12 years, and a teacher sustained burn injuries today when leaking gas caused a fire in a school in this eastern Pakistani city, officials said.<br /><br />More than 20 Grade-5 students were in the classroom of Dara-Arqam, a private school in Shahdara area of Lahore, when the blaze erupted, rescue service official Karamat Ali told PTI. "There was a gas leakage and when the class teacher lit a heater, the fire broke out."<br /><br />Other officials said 23 children and a female teacher were injured. Rescue teams and fire brigade personnel rushed to the school and took the injured to Mayo Hospital.<br />According to Mayo Hospital's Medical Superintendent Zahid Pervaiz, none of the children had life threatening injuries.<br /><br />"All the children are safe. They sustained less than 30 per cent burns. They are being treated and some of them will be discharged today," Pervaiz said.<br /><br />Footage on television showed burnt school bags lying in the classroom.</p>.<p>Parents rushed to the school and then to hospitals.<br /><br />Several persons broke down and wept outside the hospital.</p>.<p>The school's administration held the official in-charge of security responsible for the incident.<br /><br />"The person in-charge of security is responsible as he did not check whether the heater was left on through the night," a school official said.<br /><br />Local education authorities sealed the school and ordered an inquiry.<br />Media reports said police had arrested an administrative official and were looking for the principal of the school. </p>
<p> Twenty-three children, aged between seven and 12 years, and a teacher sustained burn injuries today when leaking gas caused a fire in a school in this eastern Pakistani city, officials said.<br /><br />More than 20 Grade-5 students were in the classroom of Dara-Arqam, a private school in Shahdara area of Lahore, when the blaze erupted, rescue service official Karamat Ali told PTI. "There was a gas leakage and when the class teacher lit a heater, the fire broke out."<br /><br />Other officials said 23 children and a female teacher were injured. Rescue teams and fire brigade personnel rushed to the school and took the injured to Mayo Hospital.<br />According to Mayo Hospital's Medical Superintendent Zahid Pervaiz, none of the children had life threatening injuries.<br /><br />"All the children are safe. They sustained less than 30 per cent burns. They are being treated and some of them will be discharged today," Pervaiz said.<br /><br />Footage on television showed burnt school bags lying in the classroom.</p>.<p>Parents rushed to the school and then to hospitals.<br /><br />Several persons broke down and wept outside the hospital.</p>.<p>The school's administration held the official in-charge of security responsible for the incident.<br /><br />"The person in-charge of security is responsible as he did not check whether the heater was left on through the night," a school official said.<br /><br />Local education authorities sealed the school and ordered an inquiry.<br />Media reports said police had arrested an administrative official and were looking for the principal of the school. </p>