8 structures gutted, 40 families affected

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Apr 27: At least 8 houses were gutted in a fire incident that raged in the Kanimazar area of Srinagar’s old city last night.
Officials told Excelsior that fire emerged out of one of the houses in the area, which then spread over to other nearby houses within no time, being densely populated.
“The time of the call was around 8 and soon after we received the call, the fire tenders reached the spot to douse the flames; the fire was brought under control around 11 in the night after strenuous efforts,” fire officials said.
The residents said that around 11 houses were gutted in the fire and every house had 2-3 families in it, “around 40 families have been left affected in the fire incident and we have been left with nothing; almost all of these families are associated with the tourism sector while as all of their goods, such as leather products have just decimated in the fire,” Farooq Ahmad Dar one of the residents said.
The residents appealed to the Government to take steps for their rehabilitation and also provide them with compensation to make some good of losses concerning their business.
“People have come and have offered help, but that’s not going to make any difference at all because we have been left with nothing, we have become zero overnight; we appeal to the Deputy Commissioner to take note and come to our help,” the residents said.
F&ES said that 8 residential houses, all three-storeyed GCI sheet roofed pacca, were involved in the fire while the cause of the fire was under police investigation.
“Roofing, ceiling, doors, windows, matting and household goods of attic portion and second floor of all the structures severely damaged.  While as doors, windows, matting along with other household goods in the ground and first floor of six residential houses partially damaged in the fire,” officials said.
In the firefighting, fire stations that were called in include, S H Pora, M R Gunj, Safakadal and Headquarters, Batamaloo.