Srinagar- A fire broke out in the Baghwanpora area of Lal Bazar, Srinagar, early Thursday morning, devastating a local medical shop.
According to shop owner Sheikh Rafiq the fire occurred at around 9:45 am causing significant financial losses. Rafiq said the fire services arrived 15 minutes after the blaze started. “My shop caught fire around 9:45 a.m., and the fire service came at around 10:30 a.m.,” he said.
“The lanes in the locality are very narrow, so, a fire service station should be established in this locality at the earliest to prevent such incidents from escalating.”
Local residents of Baghwanpora also voiced similar views. Hakim Suhail Abbas, a resident of Baghwanpora, expressed frustration over the recurring issue.
“This is not the first time a fire has broken out in this area,” Abbas said.
“We have repeatedly asked authorities to widen the lanes, but our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. The fire trucks could not reach the spot on time due to the narrow lanes. There is plenty of government land available in Bahrar and Nawabagh where a fire station could be built. We urge the government to act quickly so this doesn’t happen again,” he said.
In response to the incident, Hakim Shoaib Sajad, Chairman of Idara Auqaf Islamia and Masjid Abu Turab (a.s) in Baghwanpora, wrote a letter to the local Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq, urging him to take immediate action. In his letter, Sajad highlighted the urgency of establishing a fire station and providing compensation for the affected shop owner. “The absence of a fire station near Baghwanpora leaves us vulnerable to these types of tragedies,” he wrote.
“We respectfully request the installation of a fire service station in the interior of Baghwanpora to improve emergency response times. I also appeal for appropriate compensation for Rafiq, who has lost his livelihood.”
Sajad’s letter emphasized that Rafiq’s medical shop was a vital resource for the locality offering 24/7 emergency services. “His loss is deeply felt, not just by his family but by the entire neighborhood and he should be fairly compensated, ” the letter added.
Kashmir Observer reached out to an official from the Fire and Emergency Services, who clarified that the decision to establish a fire station does not fall under their department’s jurisdiction. Attempts to contact Director Fire and Emergency Services, Alok Kumar, and MLA Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq, for comment were unsuccessful, as both officials did not respond to repeated calls.
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