Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, May 21: A family’s preparations for an upcoming wedding were reduced to ashes after a massive fire broke out in the congested Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar on Tuesday late night, damaging at least five residential houses and destroying all belongings, including the trousseau of a bride-to-be. The fire shook the area and has left residents in trauma.
Nazir Ahmad, the girl’s uncle, said the fire broke out suddenly late at night.
“We were coming out of the masjid when we heard shouts about a fire nearby. Within minutes, the flames had engulfed several houses. The area is densely packed, and we couldn’t even get close to douse the flames,” he said.
Ahmad said the family was preparing for the wedding of his daughter, who works as a private school teacher. “We had planned her marriage for August. All the preparations, clothes, jewellery, and household items we bought for her wedding have been gutted in the fire. All our dreams were destroyed in seconds,” he said while wiping tears.
The locals from the area said they are thankful the Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES) Department and other authorities arrived on time, otherwise more houses would have been reduced to rubble.
Meanwhile, officials from the Fire Services department said that five residential houses, double and three-storeyed, were involved in the fire, and the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit.
They said the attic portions, roofing, ceiling, furniture, and household goods of two double-storey houses were severely damaged. Meanwhile, three other houses suffered partial damage to their upper floors and roofing.
They added that two scooties bearing registration numbers JK01T-0210 and BL3SDW-1138 were also damaged in the incident, while there were no reports of any injuries. Authorities have launched an assessment of the losses.
Meanwhile, on the directions of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Dr. Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat, a team of District Administration, Srinagar led by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Aadil Fareed visited Narwara Dangerpora in Nawa Kadal area of the City to provide immediate assistance to the fire affected families whose houses were gutted in a fire incidents here on Tuesday.
The Immediate relief was sanctioned by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar and was provided to the affected families in the form of blankets, mattresses, kitchen sets etc, besides cash amount to each affected families as an interim relief out of the District Red Cross Fund.
The team of district administration Srinagar also expressed sympathy with the affected families on the loss of property.
