Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Jan 6: A massive fire broke out in a commercial unit at Bulbul Bagh, Tengpora area near Old Barzulla here on Tuesday evening, gutting several adjoining sheds and sending thick plumes of toxic smoke billowing into the sky.
Eyewitnesses said that the fire erupted around 5:07 pm, quickly spreading from one unit to another that housed carpet, foam, hardware and paint thinner stores, where materials that fuel the blaze and made firefighting operations extremely hazardous.
Officials said that multiple fire tenders from different stations were pressed into service. The operation lasted for more than five hours, and is still ongoing.
“Large quantities of highly flammable materials like foam and thinner made the blaze extremely difficult to control. The operation was prolonged, but the fire is now largely under control,” said Dr Mir Aqib Hussain, Assistant Director, Fire & Emergency Services Srinagar, while speaking to media, as at the site.
He said that several fire service personnel sustained injuries during the operation, and one suffered suffocation due to toxic fumes.
However, sources said that among the injured are two persons identified as Fayaz Ahmad and Mohammad Imran, both firemen. They were shifted to hospital.
Meanwhile, thick black smoke rising from the site was visible from several parts of Srinagar, triggering panic among residents and traders in the area. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and the extent of damage is being assessed.
But amid the chaos and courage of firemen, another troubling scene played out, one that once again put ‘media ethics’ under the spotlight in Kashmir valley and especially Srinagar city.
Several self-styled “reporters” with mics and mobile cameras were seen crowding the site, obstructing firefighters and even entering restricted zones to “go live” on social media. Among them, a local garment shop owner who runs a social media page was seen posing as a reporter with a microphone.
“Are we really here for this?” a journalist at the scene remarked. “More mics, fewer firemen that’s what it looked like today. Media ethics have truly gone for a toss.”
The firefighting operation was still underway when last reports came in. (KNO)
