Srinagar : A devastating fire broke out late Monday night in the densely populated Aabi Gurpora area of Dal Lake, reducing 18 structures, mostly wooden homes, to ashes. The incident, which posed significant challenges due to the area’s non-motorable terrain, required an extraordinary response from the Fire and Emergency Services, locals, and other authorities.
An official from the Fire and Emergency Services Department said that firefighters struggled to access the location and had to lay pipelines over a kilometer to tackle the flames. Fire tenders were parked nearly 800 meters away from the site due to narrow lanes and the non-motorable terrain. Additional support was mobilized from the department’s river stations at Nigeen and Nehru Park. “Despite our swift response, the terrain made it extremely challenging to bring the fire under control,” the official added. The collective efforts of locals, firefighters, police, and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel eventually subdued the fire, preventing further damage.
Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq visited the affected families and assured them of all possible assistance. He expressed deep concern over the incident and directed the authorities to expedite relief measures. Meanwhile, the police have registered a case to investigate the cause of the fire. The loss of homes has left many families displaced. Local organizations and volunteers have stepped in to provide temporary shelter and basic necessities. Residents have called for better infrastructure and safety measures in the area to prevent such incidents in the future.
