10 persons killed as 660 incidents reported in 1st three months of 2022
Srinagar, May 19 (ANH): The frequent fire incidents across the Valley that claimed ten lives in 660 such mishaps in the first three months of the ongoing year—2022 has created doubts among the general masses, who demanded an inquiry over such incidents.
As per the data compiled by Joint Director (JD), Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES), Kashmir, the highest number of incidents were reported from Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
“In the first three months, the Fire & Emergency Services Kashmir has received 143 fire calls from Srinagar. In these fire incidents, the affected people have caused damage to property worth Rs 1704.58 lakh and involving the belongings worth Rs 20374.94 lakh. The second highest calls were received from Baramulla. A good number of fire calls have also been reported from other districts,” revealed the data.
The incidents didn’t stop and continued beyond the first three months.
On April 4, seven houseboats were destroyed in a massive fire at Srinagar’s Nigeen Lake.
On May 18, five residential houseboats were gutted in fire at Dal Lake.
On Wednesday evening, a carpet workshop and a double-storey house were completely gutted in a mysterious fire incident in Sadunara village of Hajin in north Kashmir’s Bandipora.
Raising apprehensions, the locals have demanded investigation into all such fire incidents.
A local from Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar told Asian News Hub (ANH), that he has never witnessed such a huge number of fire incidents.
“Every day, a fire incident is being reported. The people are worried. The need of the hour is to investigate the fire incidents and ascertain the causes. People are becoming homeless, the belongings worth lakhs of rupees are getting destroyed,” he added.
Netizens have also raised apprehensions over such incidents.
“Just like beard choppers no one will be caught… making follow for small needs so that the bigger cause is forgoten…,” reads the Facebook post.
Another netizen on the same social media platform wrote, “Something is happening and is carried out.”
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Even former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed her apprehensions over increasing fire incidents. She also demanded a thorough probe into the fire incidents.
When contacted, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar asked to approach F&ES department.
Joint Director F&ES, Bashir Ahmad Shah, told Asian News Hub (ANH), that there is no increase in the number of fire incidents.
Giving details of fire incidents of previous years, he said that 3598 fire calls were received in 2016.“In 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, we have received 2914, 2741, 1812, 2336, 2232 calls respectively,” he said, adding that for the first four months of 2022, they have received 856 calls. (ANH)
