SRINAGAR: A morning fire has closed a major hotel in Gulmarg. By the time the fire was controlled, most of the upper two storey’s of the Pine Palace Resort were seriously damaged. The accident has led to its closure at the peak of the delayed ski season.
All the guests and the staff are safe. No injuries were reported. However, the hotel lost almost everything on the top floor. Some guests also reported certain losses. The property was burning and the hotel staff was attempting to save whatever items they could. Almost 15 minutes after the fire appeared on the top floor, it spread to the first floor.
“There was a delay in the arrival of the fire extinguishers as, we were told, the access road was closed,” one of the executives of the hotel management said. “We have stopped working and we have to work and rebuild it.”
The video clips that have gone viral on social media show the prime property on fire and no fire fighters around. Some youth assembled and were throwing snow falls into the fire in desperation. The 13-minute clip shows no fire tender around. This is the fourth property that went up in flames in Gulmarg in recent years.
The executive, who did not wish to be named, said the exact cause of the fire was not immediately known but it seems it was a short-circuit in the first floor.
“In a hotel, when there is fire, it is entirely damaged,” another official said. “When hundreds of gallons of water is used, it obviously makes everything unusable.” The official said they had enough of booking for March and April and now they will make alternative arrangements for their guests.
Hotel staff said all tourists were quickly evacuated and some help in evacuation came from tourist police and army.
The 31-room resort, operational since 1986, is located near the golf course and not far away from Gulmarg Gondola project.
