6 houses gutted at Habba Kadal
Srinagar, Feb 11: At least six houses were gutted in a devastating fire that broke out in the densely populated Habba Kadal area of Downtown on Tuesday night
According to Fire and Emergency Services officials, a fire call was received by the State Fire Control Room at 10:32 pm.
They said within a minute, fire tenders from Fire Station Habba Kadal, Babdemb, Gawkadal, Fire Service Headquarters and Syed Hameed Pora were rushed to the spot.
They said that, given the highly congested nature of the locality, additional reinforcements from Maharaj Gunj, Rainawari, Safa Kadal, Rawalpora, Nowshera, and Nowgam were also dispatched.
Witnesses said massive flames and thick plumes of smoke were visible from a distance, sending panic through the neighbourhood. “People were about to sleep when suddenly there was shouting everywhere. Flames could be seen from far away. It was complete chaos,” a local resident said.
Fire officials said two to three gas cylinders burst during the incident, intensifying the blaze. “As a result, six residential houses were gutted. Due to the timely and coordinated response, the fire was prevented from spreading further to adjoining structures,” an official said.
During the firefighting operation, a firefighter Fameed Ahmad sustained grievous injuries to his hand and was immediately shifted to the hospital for treatment. Two civilians were also injured and taken to the hospital for medical care.
Locals said firefighting teams faced immense difficulty navigating through narrow lanes. “This area is extremely congested, with houses packed very closely. Roadside parking made it even harder for fire tenders to reach the spot,” a witness said.
Meanwhile, the incident has left several low-income families devastated. One of the victims said the house that was gutted was all they had left. “My father is sick and recently underwent surgery. We spent lakhs on his treatment. This house was everything for us, and now nothing is left,” he said, appealing for immediate assistance. Another affected family said they were staring at an uncertain future after losing their belongings in the blaze.
Officials said the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and is under investigation. The incident comes amid a spate of fire incidents reported across Srinagar over the past few weeks, in which several residential houses were damaged or destroyed. Fire and Emergency Services officials have repeatedly urged people to strictly follow standard operating procedures while using heating appliances and electrical gadgets, especially during winter, to prevent such tragedies.
