Frequent fire incidents worry Karnah residents

Srinagar, Oct 23: Fire incidents have become a frequent occurrence in the Karnah region, where even a small spark during dry weather can turn into a major disaster. The data shows that around 20 to 25 fire incidents are reported in Karnah every year, leaving many poor families devastated and homeless.
As per the reports, recently in the frontier district, a poor resident’s house was completely destroyed in a fire. Around noon on Wednesday, another tragic incident occurred in Chitterkoot, where the residential house of Zahoor Ahmad Khawaja suddenly caught fire. Within minutes, the flames engulfed the entire structure.
The army and local residents launched a joint effort to control the blaze, but it was too intense to be contained. The Fire and Emergency Service vehicle reached the spot after a delay and eventually extinguished the fire, but by then the house had already been reduced to ashes.
Officials from the Fire and Emergency Service said the vehicle was delayed due to the difficult and poorly maintained roads in Karnah, which make access to such areas extremely challenging.
Residents expressed deep concern, noting that there is only one Fire and Emergency Service station in Tangdhar, where large vehicles are stationed. However, because of the mountainous terrain, distant villages, and narrow roads, these vehicles often fail to reach incident sites in time.
Locals have urged the government to establish at least three more fire stations in mountainous areas like Chitterkoot and Karnah. They also called for the deployment of small, fast-response vehicles to ensure timely action during emergencies.
People have appealed to the district administration and senior officials of the Fire and Emergency Service to take this issue seriously, as dozens of poor families lose their homes and lifetime savings to fire incidents every year. (KNO)