Woman dies, 3 injured in Lal Bazar blaze

Srinagar, Nov 26: A septuagenarian woman died while three others were injured in a fire incident at Umar Colony area of Lal Bazar.
Officials of Fire and Emergency Services said the incident occurred due to leakage of a LPG cylinder.

Officials identified the deceased as 75-year-old Khatija Begum. In the incident, three family members were injured. They were shifted to SKIMS Soura for treatment.
An official from the Fire and Emergency Service told Greater Kashmir that they received the information about the incident at around 2 PM and pressed multiple fire tenders into the service.

“The fire was controlled in time, and the house was partially damaged in the incident. There was no gas cylinder blast. However, leakage of the cylinder caused fire, which led to the death of an elderly lady. Owner of the house, his daughter, and another lady were also injured in the incident,” said the official.

The Assistant Director of Fire and Emergency Services told the media that due to the gas leakage, there was a cloud explosion in the house that led to death of the woman and injuries to three others. “Locals of the area displayed courage by taking out the cylinder and helping to control the fire,” he said.

The officials from Fire and Emergency Services said that they often issue advisories, especially in winter and people should follow them.

“These advisories should be followed strictly. We are using many heating devices which are increasing the risk. These incidents can be reduced if gas devices are handled with care and proper ventilation is ensured in rooms,” they said.