SRINAGAR: Several fire incidents across the Kashmir Division in the past 24 hours caused damage to residential houses, shops, cowsheds, haystacks and other property, officials of the Fire and Emergency Services said on Thursday.
Among the affected locations, a fire damaged a Jan Aushadhi medical shop near the District Hospital in Shopian. In Summerbug, Pampore (Pulwama), a residential house and an adjoining cowshed were partially damaged.
In Kupwara district, a fire gutted around 400 bundles of dry grass at Bhat Mohalla, Warno Kuligam. Another blaze damaged a double-storey residential house at Salkoot, Ragipora, while a separate incident engulfed a cowshed at Warno Kuligam.
A three-storey residential house caught fire at New Colony, Pakherpora in Budgam district. In Ganderbal, a haystack was damaged in a fire at Barkati Mohalla, Safapora. Meanwhile, a cowshed was affected by fire at Harpora in Awantipora area of Pulwama.
In Srinagar, a fire broke out at Magray Mohalla, Khanda Nowgam, where a hardware shop along with its godown was damaged, resulting in substantial losses.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel rushed to all the affected sites and managed to control the blazes in time, preventing further spread and damage, officials said.
The department has reiterated its appeal to the public to strictly follow fire safety advisories and cooperate with authorities, emphasising that public awareness and collective vigilance are crucial to reducing fire-related incidents.
Jammu and Kashmir received 6,752 fire calls in 2024, including 42 false alarms. While 2,938 buildings were affected during the year, property worth approximately Rs 1,699 crore was saved. The department attributed most fires to LPG leakages, electrical overloads, short circuits and the increased use of heating devices.
The Fire and Emergency Department has not yet released the data for the year 2025.
