Massive fire damages 20 structures in Gurez’s Tulail area, SHO among 25 injured

Bandipora, 30 Aug: At least twenty structures were damaged in a massive blaze at Kashpat village in Tulail Tehsil of Gurez valley in north Kashmirs Bandipora district on Saturday, officials said.

The fire which erupted around 10 in the morning has almost been "brought under control" as fire and emergency, revenue, police, medical department are on the job.

"As per our information, at least twenty structures have been damaged in the fire," SDM Gurez Mukhtar Ahmad told Greater Kashmir, which includes "seven to eight houses," the officer said.

The remote village mostly consists of wooden structures and log houses and according to officials there are no "accurate estimates of damage" due to lack of phone connectivity.

The SDM said that in the fire, most structures include barns where fodder and live stock like cattle are kept.

The officer said the fire has almost been brought under control as multiple departments have also rushed to the spot to douse off the flames.

Block Medical Officer (BMO) Gurez, Dr. Firoz Iqbal, confirmed that 25 people, including SHO Mir Kazim, sustained injuries. Two, including the SHO, were shifted to Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Dawar for treatment. “Their condition is stable and out of danger. The SHO had suffered suffocation-related pain but is now recovering well,” Dr. Iqbal said.

Officials said weak communication networks and the remoteness of the area posed major challenges during firefighting and rescue operations. However, timely reinforcements ensured that the fire did not spread to adjoining habitations.

Army according to locals also played a key role in containing the fire. Army medical team provided medical assistance to the injured.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be established, while the authorities are assessing the extent of property loss and verifying whether there are more injuries. (With inputs from KNT)