Sajid Raina
Bandipora, Aug 30: A major fire broke out in Kashpat village of Tulail in Gurez area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Saturday, damaging at least 26 residential houses, officials said.
Locals said that the fire started from a residential house and quickly spread to adjoining buildings due to the wooden construction in the area. The flames engulfed several houses before efforts were launched to control the situation.
Soon after the incident, residents, assisted by the Army, police, and Fire and Emergency Services, started joint operations to douse the blaze. An official said the fire was eventually brought under control after several hours of effort.
The Indian Army’s Quick Reaction Team was among the first responders, launching immediate firefighting operations to prevent the fire from spreading further.
An Army officer said that their medical teams also treated 45 civilians for minor injuries, while 4–5 people with fractures were stabilised on the spot.
Station House Officer (SHO) Tulail was also injured while dousing the flames. He was shifted to Sub-District Hospital Dawar for treatment, where his condition was stated to be stable.
Officials confirmed that no casualties have been reported so far, though the property damage is extensive.
The remote village comprises mostly wooden structures and log houses.
The houses that were fully damaged in the fire belong to Jameel Ahmed Khan S/o Anwar Khan, Mohd. Munawar Khan S/o Khayim Khan, Mohd. Yaseen Khan S/o Khayim Khan, Kalandar Khan S/ Mohd. Sultan Khan, Mohideen Khan S/o Ahmad Khan, Mohd. Yousuf Khan S/o Akbar Khan, Ahad Khan S/o Mohd. Akbar Khan, Muzamil Khan S/o Mohd. Akbar Khan, Niyaz Khan S/o Akbar Khan, Zahoor Khan S/o Mohd. Akbar Khan, Mohd. Ismayil Khan S/o Mohd. Afzal Khan, Mohd. Munawar Khan S/o Dilbar Khan, Javed Ahmad Khan S/o Munawar Khan, Laal Khan S/o Sarwar Khan, Mohd. Yousuf Khan S/o Sarwar Khan, Yonus Khan S/o Laal Khan, Habibullah Khan S/o Mohammad Khan, Rasheed Khan S/o Gh. Mohideen Khan, Mohd. Yousuf Khan S/o Akbar Khan, Zahoor Ahmad Khan S/o Munawar Khan, Gulam Khan S/o Gul Khan, Ali Khan S/o Gul Khan, Liyakat Khan S/o Samandar Khan, and Mohd. Samandar Khan S/o Sikandar Khan.
In addition, the houses that suffered partial damage include those of Riyaz Khan S/o Mohd. Afzal Khan, Iqbal Khan S/o Baktawar Khan, Gh. Qadir Khan S/o Kasim Khan, Quyoom Khan S/o Gh. Mohd. Khan, along with Bashir Khan S/o Quyoom Khan and Zakir Hussain Khan S/o Quyoom Khan, as well as Sultan Khan S/o Anwar Khan.
The locals appealed to the administration to extend support to the affected families, saying the area is remote and residents largely depend on limited sources of income.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the fire incident at Kashpat in Tulail. He spoke to MLA Gurez, Nazir Ahmad Khan over the phone and assured him that the government would extend all possible support to the affected families.
The CM said necessary relief measures would be taken to provide immediate assistance and ensure rehabilitation of those who lost their homes.
