JAMMU, Nov 9: As many as 64 fire incidents were reported across the Jammu region during Diwali celebrations, causing extensive damage to commercial establishments and other properties, with Jammu district alone accounting for 30 incidents, officials said on Monday.
Of the total incidents, 11 were reported before 5 pm on Sunday, while 53 occurred between 5 pm and 3 am, coinciding with Diwali celebrations and widespread bursting of firecrackers, officials of the Fire and Emergency Services Department said.
Among the districts, Samba and Kathua together recorded 10 incidents, followed by Doda with nine, Udhampur and Reasi with eight, Kishtwar with three, Rajouri-Poonch belt with three and Ramban with one incident.
Several major fires were reported in Jammu district, including at Pahari Mohalla, where a five-storey commercial building housing cloth and footwear shops, along with a basement, was gutted. Another blaze at Shalimar damaged the third and fourth floors of a five-storey building housing a medical store, while a hardware godown at Gangyal was also affected.
The most devastating incident occurred at the historic Warehouse Nehru Marketwhere a massive fire broke out around 9.15 pm on Sunday, engulfing several shops. The market, one of Jammu’s oldest commercial hubs, is known for its wholesale trade in foodgrains, edible oil and other essential commodities.
Officials said the fire reportedly originated in one shop and rapidly spread to adjoining establishments, with large quantities of edible oil adding to its intensity. Fire tenders from different stations were rushed to the spot, and firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by midnight despite the closely packed shops and warehouses posing major challenges. Two fire tenders remained deployed at the site, while a detailed damage assessment was awaited.
Warehouse Association President Deepak Gupta, however, alleged that a delayed response by the Fire and Emergency Services Department allowed the blaze to spread, claiming that around 15 shops were engulfed. He alleged that only two fire engines reached the spot nearly one-and-a-half hours after the incident despite the nearest fire station being barely five minutes away.
Demanding accountability and suspension of officials concerned, Gupta threatened an indefinite strike if action was not taken.
The Fire and Emergency Services officials refuted the allegations, maintaining that the nearest station immediately dispatched two fire tenders and additional vehicles were mobilised from other stations. They said multiple fire calls were received simultaneously across the region during Diwali night, putting firefighting teams under considerable pressure.
Despite the challenging circumstances, personnel worked through the night and deployed additional resources to contain the blazes and prevent further damage to adjoining structures. (Agencies)