Building gutted at Hawal

Srinagar, Nov 3: A fire broke out on Monday evening in a multistorey residential-cum-commercial building at Agro Bagh Kath Colony in Hawal area in Downtown.

According to Fire and Emergency Services officials, the blaze erupted from a structure jointly owned by two families. They said the ground floor of the building houses several shops while the upper storeys are used for residential purposes.

“As soon as we received the call, our teams rushed to the spot and launched an operation to contain the flames.The attic portion of the structure was severely gutted before the fire was brought under control," said a Fire and Emergency Department official.

Meanwhile, panic gripped the area as thick smoke billowed from the building, prompting residents and shopkeepers to rush out of their homes. “We were terrified. The flames spread quickly, but the timely response from the fire tenders and help from locals prevented a major tragedy,” said a local resident.

The officials said, further details of the operation will be available after the conclusion of the operations.