A devastating fire swept through the main Chowk in north Kashmir’s Sopore area of Baramulla district, late Sunday night, destroying five shops and partially damaging an ATM.
The blaze resulted in significant financial losses, estimated to be in the lakhs.
Eyewitnesses told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the fire broke out late night and quickly spread due to strong winds.
An electrical short circuit is believed to have triggered the fire, which damaged the shops and ATM.
The cash in the ATM was withdrawn shortly after the incident.
They said timely intervention by local fire tenders, assisted by the locals, Police and Indian Army, contained the flames, preventing nearby buildings from being engulfed and potentially saving property worth crores.
‘We received a distress call and our teams immediately rushed to the spot,” said a fire department official. “The fire was intense, but our joint efforts with the police and locals helped bring it under control.”
Local residents expressed gratitude for the prompt emergency response, which minimized the damage.
“We are thankful to the fire department, police, and army for their swift action,” said Abdul Rashid, a nearby shop owner. “Their efforts saved many more shops from being destroyed.”
No injuries or casualties were reported during the incident.
Police have taken note of the matter and are conducting a thorough investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the fire. [KNT]