Srinagar, Feb 5 (JKNS): At least ten residential houses were gutted after a massive fire broke out in the Bhagyas area of Chattabal in the early hours on Thursday, officials said.
An official from Fire and Emergency Services told news agency JKNS that a fire call was received by the State Fire Control Room, Batamaloo, at around 6:31 AM, following which the first fire tender was dispatched from F&ES Safakadal within a minute.
He said that considering the congested nature of the locality, additional fire tenders from F&ES Headquarters, Syed Hameed Pora, Maharaj Gunj, and Babdemb were rushed to the spot to prevent the fire from spreading further.
The official said that on arrival, fire personnel found three to four residential houses already engulfed in flames. “The situation worsened after two to three LPG cylinders exploded, leading to the rapid spread of fire to adjacent annexed structures,” he said.
According to the official, a total of eight to ten residential houses were gutted in the incident. He added that the firefighting teams later brought the blaze under control and cooling operations were underway to avoid any re-ignition.
The operation was led by Incharge Fire Station Safakadal Aadil Zargar, in coordination with concerned Divisional Fire Officers, under the supervision of Deputy Director Fire and Emergency Services Dr. Mir Aqib Hussain and Mobilising Officer Aijaz Ahmad Shah.
Meanwhile, ADGP Fire and Emergency Services Alok Kumar (IPS) has appealed to the public to remain cautious, particularly during night hours, and advised against leaving electrical appliances unattended as a preventive measure.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and is under investigation, the official added. (JKNS)
