Midnight blaze devastates Nowhatta families

Srinagar, Apr 14: Grief and disbelief gripped families in downtown Srinagar after a midnight blaze reduced multiple homes to ashes in Chandpora–Saifuddin Pora area of Nowhatta, with survivors recounting chilling moments of panic, loss and helplessness.
Zahoor Ahmad, a fire victim, said that the fire broke out while people were asleep. “Around 12:45 AM, smoke started filling the house. Neighbours shouted and woke us up. By the time we rushed out, flames had already spread across several houses. Everything I had hoped for my home, my belongings was gone within minutes,” he said.
He said at least seven to eight houses were engulfed, leaving families with nothing. “Not just houses, even furniture and basic belongings were destroyed. We are trying to salvage whatever little is left,” he added.
Another local resident, Ghulam Nabi, said the congested locality made firefighting extremely difficult. “The lanes are too narrow. Fire service vehicles couldn’t reach easily and laying pipes took time. If they had reached earlier, maybe some houses could have been saved. In downtown, houses are packed together and fire spreads in seconds,” he said.
Echoing similar distress, Shabir Ahmad, a neighbour, highlighted the scale of human loss behind the incident. “These are poor labourer families. They have nothing left now. One blind man here lost everything, even the Rs 50,000 he had saved for his daughter’s medicine. People don’t even have clothes and are wearing what neighbours gave them,” he said.
He added that the fire spread rapidly as residents were unaware initially. “Everyone was asleep. By the time smoke was noticed, flames had already taken over multiple houses. The damage is beyond imagination,” he said.
Another resident, Parveena Begum, appealed for immediate government intervention. “Entire households are gone, from utensils, cash, medicines, everything. These families cannot recover on their own. The government must step in and provide relief so they can rebuild their lives,” she said.
Locals also alleged delays in response, saying firefighting efforts were slowed due to access issues. “It took time to control the blaze, but had it been any later, the entire locality could have been wiped out,” a resident said.
The fire, which broke out around 1:00 AM, damaged at least seven residential houses. While no casualties were reported, the emotional and financial toll on affected families has been immense, with many now left staring at an uncertain future. (KNO)