It’s heartbreaking to hear about the devastating fire that swept through the main market of Sumbal in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district last night. Officials reported that the blaze, which erupted between Sunday and Monday, tragically consumed at least 12 shops and four residential houses.
Emergency services responded swiftly, with fire tenders from Sumbal and Naidkhai joining forces with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and local residents in a determined effort to combat the inferno. The rapid spread of the fire necessitated additional support from fire stations in Safapora and Batwina.
After a gruelling battle against the flames, firefighters successfully brought the situation under control. While their efforts prevented even greater losses, the fire still resulted in the destruction of property valued in lakhs.
The homes that were tragically gutted belonged to Bashir Ahmad Wani (son of Mohammad Sultan), Abdul Hameed Wani, Abdul Hameed Khanday, and Nazir Ahmad Khanday, all residents of Sumbal.
At this time, the cause of the fire remains unknown, and police have launched an investigation to determine its origin. Thankfully, there were no reports of any casualties or injuries.
Nazir Ahmad Reshi, the President of the Trade Federation Sumbal, voiced his profound sadness over this unfortunate event and offered his unwavering support to the affected families. He has earnestly appealed to the Bandipora District Administration to provide immediate relief and fair compensation to those who have suffered such significant losses.
Sources
