SRINAGAR: Deputy Director of Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) Kashmir, Mir Aqib Hussain, urged the public on Monday to purchase approved electrical and heating appliances, avoid overloading, and perform regular safety checks to reduce fire hazards during winter
The Deputy Director’s (F&ES) claims come following two major fire incidents in Srinagar last week, one in Chattabal that gutted ten residential structures and another in Nowhatta, damaging eight to ten houses.
Mir also urged social media users and outlets not to spread false claims about fire incidents, emphasizing the importance of carrying only official statements and confirmed facts in order to maintain public trust, minimize misinformation, and avoid causing unnecessary alarm.
“Besides being subpar, many heating devices bought on the market are not ISI certified and are not operated in accordance with the correct safety protocols. Overloading or neglecting to perform regular audits of electrical equipment is the main cause of electrical fires. Preventive safety measures are essential to minimizing losses from winter fires,” Deputy Director F&ES said in a press conference.
He urged the public to follow preventive measures, including purchasing certified electrical and heating gadgets, avoiding overloading, and performing regular safety checks to minimize fire risks during winter, saying excessive use of substandard heating appliances is one of the primary causes of the higher incidences of fires in Kashmir during the winter.
Effective fire event management, Mir said, requires collaborative efforts from F&ES, PHE, and the general public, while awareness, safe use of electrical appliances, and verified reporting are critical to mitigating the impact of such incidents in Kashmir.
Regarding concerns that F&ES does not maintain fire hydrants, he emphasized that the department installs and maintains all 400 hydrants in the city
“Water supply and pressure management falls under the purview of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department. An adequate supply of water during recent fire incidents may have significantly reduced damage,” he said, adding the hydrants are a part of an integrated system and that the public and media should inquire with the PHE department about issues with the water supply
The integrated hydrant system, he said, is the foundation of firefighting, and F&ES plays an operational role in this direction
PHE-managed backend water supply problems, he claimed, were a major factor in the recent occurrences’ limitations in containing fire. “To prevent misrepresenting F&ES performance, I urge social media outlets to get clarification from authorities before releasing reports.”
