Representational Pic
SRINAGAR – At least 16 shops were gutted in a midnight fire incident in Iqbal Market, Batmaloo Srinagar on Tuesday, in which goods worth crores turned into ashes within minutes.
The fire broke out at 9 pm on Tuesday evening, because of unknown reasons and engulfed the market within minutes. At least 16 shops were completely raised to ground within minutes, and goods worth crores were turned into ashes in this fire.
These shops destroyed in the fire incident, mainly dealt with the sale of various items, including shoes, cosmetic items, mobiles, readymade garments and hosiery.
The owners of shops, which were gutted in this mysterious fire incident include, Javed Ahmed Bagaw, Parvez Qayoom Dar, Mohammad Ibad Bhat, Mushtaq Ahmed Lasoo, Aqib Nazir Sofi, Mohammad Ashraf Dagga, Nazir Ahmed Sofi, Rayees Rashid, Tahir Ahmed Bala, Qaisar Qayoom Dar, Abdul Rashid Bhat, Adil Ahmed Sofi, Parvez Ahmed Guroo, Mohammad Shafi Shah, Khalid Ahmed Bangroo and Abdul Razaq Mir.
Eyewitnesses said that fire services department reached the spot in minutes of the eruption of fire in the market and after hectic efforts controlled it from spreading to adjacent shops; however goods in many other adjacent shops in the market, suffered a heavy damage due to the water used for extinguishing the fire.
Locals have praised the efforts of Fire Services Department, saying that if the firemen had not reached the spot in time, the loss would have been many folds.
Pertinently, the market in which these shops were located, was already suffering a huge decline in the business, in the wake of shifting up Batmaloo Bus Stand from here to Parimpora and now with Monday evening fire, victims of the incident have been pushed to further sufferings.
Police is ascertaining the cause of the fire; however locals ruled out electric short circuit to be the cause of fire, saying that shopkeepers used to cut the power supply to the market, every evening.
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