Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Party General Secretary, Ali Muhammad Sagar, on Sunday expressed profound anguish over the incident of the conflagration that gutted twenty-eight shops in a midnight fire in the Baba Reshi area of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Expressing anguish over the losses incurred by the traders in the mid-night ablaze, Sagar said, “The incident has gutted merchandise worth lakhs. I express my unison with the traders who have sustained immense losses in the unfortunate incident. Fortunately, there are no reports of damage around the shrine itself. However, the midnight fire which erupted in the Baba Reshi market had engulfed at least twenty-eight shops. Most of the destroyed shops don’t have any insurance cover, therefore it is imperative for the district and divisional administration to come to their rescue.”

“I pray to almighty for the swift upturn of the affected traders, meantime I also impress upon the district administration to conduct a fire safety audit of the Baba Reshi shrine including other prominent shrines of the valley. I also urge the administration to recompense the fire affected adequately,” he said.

Meanwhile, Party’s Provincial Secretary Showkat Ahmed Mir has also asked the district administration to compensate the losses incurred by the traders whose shops and merchandise were despoiled in the unfortunate incident. He also said the locals are peeved at the tardiness of the Fire Services department, thus demanding the setting up of a local station against fire protection for the famous shrine. He said setting up to few more fire posts in Tangmarg, Gulmarg and other adjoining upper reaches will help deal with such eventualities promptly.

Party Additional General Secretary Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal and Party Leader Farooq Ahmed Shah have also expressed unison with the fire victims and prayed for their speedy revival.