Baramulla: At least twenty one families were rendered homeless after ten residential houses got damaged and goods worth crores of rupees were reduced to ashes in a devastating fire which broke out in Mohalla Kakar Hamam and Jamia in old town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday.
Witnesses said that fire broke out from a double story residential house of Showkat Ahmad Sofi which spread to nearby houses and destroyed at least seven residential houses.
“As we saw huge flames coming out of a double residential house, we rushed towards it to extinguish the fire but it went out of control and engulfed all neighbouring houses in a very short time,” Reyaz Ahmad added.
“Ten residential houses were destroyed in the massive fire. Deadly fire left us helpless and we lost everything. We have no other source of income and appeal to Governor Manoj Sinha and Deputy Commissioner Baramulla for immediate relief and rehabilitation,” he added.
“We have suffered huge damage as all our goods and belongings were destroyed and property worth crores was reduced to ashes in the fire incident,” said Showkat Ahmad Sofi, who lost his house to the fire.
Later, the fire was extinguished after strenuous efforts of police, Fire and Emergency Service Department and Army.
A police officer said that due narrow lanes, fire tenders were finding it difficult to reach the spot directly.
The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained. The locals said that the cause of fire was not known as it spread fast leaving no time to salvage the belongings which were reduced to ashes.
Later, a district administration team led by ADC Baramulla Zahoor Ahmad visited the fire victims and provided Rs 10000 to each affected family as immediate relief and distributed blankets, utensils and other goods for daily life.
Army and administration provided makeshift tents to the fire victims and assured them all the possible help.
Meanwhile, a woman namely Fameeda Begum, wife of Irshad Ahmad Shoosha fainted during the deadly fire incident and was rushed to GMC Baramulla where doctors referred her to SKIMS Soura, where she died of cardiac arrest.
