Anantnag: A devastating fire incident in the Gujnag Kadipora area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district today reduced nearly 20 residential houses to ashes, leaving hundreds of people homeless in the holy month of Ramadan.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire started from the house of the late Nisar Ahmad Lulu and spread rapidly to adjacent houses. The densely packed structures and lack of adequate firefighting resources exacerbated the destruction, as flames quickly engulfed the entire row of homes.
Locals, assisted by firefighters and police, made desperate efforts to douse the blaze. However, they faced severe challenges due to a shortage of water and defunct fire hydrants. “We tried our best, but the unavailability of water and non-functional fire plugs made it impossible to control the fire in time,” said a distressed resident.
The incident once again highlighted the vulnerability of Anantnag’s congested old town areas to major fire mishaps. Kashmir News Trust had earlier reported that many localities in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district lack a functional fireproof system, with most fire hydrants installed decades ago now lying defunct due to rust and lack of maintenance.
Locals lamented that despite repeated appeals, authorities failed to upgrade the firefighting infrastructure in the district.
“The fire plugs in our area were installed around 35 years ago. They have rusted and become useless. Very few new ones have been added over the years, leaving us at the mercy of such disasters,” said another resident.
Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Fakhuruddin Ahmad, along with police and civil administration officials, visited the area to assess the damage and assured immediate relief to the victims. “In this holy month of Ramadan, we will ensure that emergency assistance is provided to all affected families at the earliest,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the victims, now homeless and struggling for basic necessities, have urged the administration to expedite rehabilitation efforts and strengthen firefighting infrastructure to prevent such tragedies in the future. [KNT]
