Large patch of dry grass gutted in Brari Nambal blaze

Srinagar, Feb 18: Amid ongoing dry spell, a large patch of dry grass was gutted in Brari Nambal lagoon today.

Officials of the Fire and Emergency Services Department said that aqua grass and plants in Brari Nambal from the Babdemb side caught fire, triggering a prompt response from the department.

An official said that they received the information about the incident at around 2 p.m. and rushed fire tenders from Babademb and Maharaj Gunj to control the fire. The official said that multiple fire units worked tirelessly to keep the fire from spreading into the residential and commercial areas.

“There are many houses, scrap trade units, and other business units in the area, and our primary focus was to control the fire and keep it from spreading into those areas. The fire is under control now, but the operation is still ongoing. Given the dry spell, we will ensure that the fire is put out completely so that it does not ignite again,” said an official, adding that the cause of the fire is under investigation.

They said due to a dry spell, the fire spread rapidly. However, the prompt action of the Fire and Emergency units kept the fire from spreading.

Meanwhile, a huge smoke cloud engulfed the area, choking the locality. Due to the huge magnitude of the fire, the smoke was visible from the city centre areas of the city.

“We were shocked to see billows of smoke and fire in the large area. Fortunately, the fire had engulfed the dry grass and other vegetation only. The adjacent roads and residential areas were full of smoke, creating panic and inconvenience among locals,” said a local.