Srinagar- A mosque and three residential houses were damaged in yet another incident of conflagration in Eidgah area of the city on Wednesday.
The fire that destroyed the property worth lakhs, according to the officials, broke out in a mosque, engulfing three nearby residential houses around 11: 15 this morning at Firdous Colony, Eidgah.
Nine fire tenders were sent to the spot to extinguish the fire, according to Divisional Fire Officer (DFO) Srinagar, Noor Alam.
He said the fire was extinguished due to the hectic efforts of the team of Fire and Emergency Services Department, the police and the locals.
“While the attics of three adjacent residential houses suffered partial damages, the upper story of the mosque was completely destroyed. Nine fire tenders from five different stations were dispatched to the scene after receiving a call about the incident at Firdous Colony, Eidgah at about 11:17 am,” the DFO told Kashmir Observer, adding the cause of fire is being ascertained.
The incident comes barely ten days after the historic Bazar Masjid, several homes and commercial buildings were burned to ashes at Bohri Kadal on June 24.
Hailing the efforts of the F&ES department, the local residents said that a team of firemen and nine fire tenders arrived in the area as soon as the distress call about the incident was placed.
“We are grateful to the authorities for preventing the fire from spreading further. The F&ES department crew arrived on time and made all out efforts to douse the flames. We alerted the authorities as soon as we noticed flames raging from the mosque at about 11:15 in the morning,” they informed Kashmir Observer.
People should turn off their LPG connections and avoid placing them under the roof before leaving their homes, as the heat wave may easily cause the LPG cylinders to catch fire, the DFO Srinagar warned.
“Please repair or replace your outdated wiring with high-quality wires. Why are you unable to purchase new wiring or at least do the necessary repairs if you can afford to build mansions worth crores,” he advised people.
F&ES Dept Expands Firefighting Operations In Srinagar
The Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES) Department in Srinagar has expanded the city’s firefighting readiness with a network of 29 fire stations.
Er Aqib Hussain, Assistant Director and Commandant Srinagar City, said that the widespread distribution of fire stations aims to ensure rapid response times, essential for reducing damage and protecting lives.
“With 29 fire stations spread across Srinagar, the department is equipped to manage various fire emergencies,” he said, as per news agency KNO.
The headquarters at Batamaloo classified as an A-category fire station functions as the central hub, housing multiple types of fire tenders, including water tenders, foam tenders, and dry chemical power tenders.
“We assess the type of fire and its cause before dispatching the appropriate fire tenders,” Er Hussain said. “Water tenders are used for fires involving solid substances in residential houses or other structures, foam tenders for petrol or diesel fires, and dry chemical power tenders for electrical fires or transformer explosions.”
With the rise of high-rise buildings in Kashmir, the Assistant Director said the department has added three hydraulic platforms to its equipment to address fires in taller structures. Firefighting stations have also been established in water-bound areas such as Nehru Park, improving the department’s reach and effectiveness, he said.
On the recent Bohri Kadal fire incident, where a mosque and over ten houses were gutted, Er Hussain emphasized the importance of public cooperation in firefighting efforts. “Multiple cylinder explosions exacerbated the fire, highlighting the need for preventive measures. Public cooperation is crucial for us to act swiftly and efficiently during fire incidents,” he said.
To enhance safety, he said the department has made the process for conducting fire audits entirely online. “Agencies, schools, and other institutions can complete the initial steps by filling out forms and uploading necessary documents,” Er Aqib said, adding that a special fire audit drive has been launched for religious places, including shrines, mosques, temples and gurudwaras.
“The results of these audits will be shared with the state authorities upon completion,” he added.
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