Midnight blaze guts three houses, two shops in north Kashmir’s Baramulla

Baramulla, Sep 18: A massive fire broke out in the congested locality of Old Baramulla town during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, damaging multiple structures including residential houses and shops.

According to officials, the fire was reported at around 12:40 am when flames erupted in two adjoining residential-cum-commercial buildings, one a three-storied and the other a two-storied structure, both roofed with galvanized corrugated iron sheets. The fire quickly spread to nearby houses and business establishments, creating panic among locals.

Fire and Emergency Services personnel rushed to the spot and managed to bring the blaze under control after hectic efforts. By the time the flames were doused, at least three residential houses and two shops had suffered significant damage.

An official confirmed that both the affected buildings were concrete constructions. “The intensity of the fire was high, but timely intervention prevented it from spreading to more structures,” the official said.

Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as locals joined hands with firefighters to contain the flames. “People were rushing with buckets of water while firefighters battled the fire with their equipment. It was frightening as the flames were leaping into the sky,” said a local witness.

Authorities have initiated an assessment of the losses, while the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Preliminary reports suggest that no casualties were reported in the incident, though property loss is said to be extensive.

Police said they are investigating the matter to establish the cause of the blaze. Meanwhile, the affected families have been provided temporary relief and shifted to safer accommodations.[KNT]