Srinagar, Jan 10: A major tragedy was averted late evening at Arampora, Qamarwari, after a fire broke out in a residential structure that was illegally being used for commercial purposes involving hazardous materials.
A fire call was received by the State Fire Control Room at 20:58 hrs, following which fire tenders from Fire Station Safakadal along with reinforcement from Fire & Emergency Services Headquarters were dispatched to the scene within a minute.
On reaching the spot, it was found that a single-storied residential house, illegally converted into a commercial unit, was being used for refilling fire extinguishers and for dumping large quantities of Mono Ammonium Phosphate (MAP) powder.
The premises also contained hundreds to thousands of plastic barrels stored inside a densely populated residential area.
The attic portion of the house was engulfed in flames, and firefighting operations were immediately launched. After an intense and coordinated operation, the fire was successfully brought under control, preventing its spread to nearby residential structures.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the house had been illegally operating for several years. A resident of Punjab, who was involved in refilling fire extinguishers along with his father, stated that the activity had been ongoing for the past 5–6 years, while the refilling and sealing process was reportedly carried out at another unit located in Chanapora.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, and a detailed investigation has been initiated by the concerned authorities.
The firefighting operation was conducted under the overall supervision of Deputy Director, Fire & Emergency Services, Command Srinagar, Dr. Mir Aqib Hussain, with effective mobilization and on-ground coordination by the Mobilizing Officer, Aijaz Ahmad Shah.
Authorities have termed the incident as a serious safety violation, underscoring the grave risks posed by illegal storage of hazardous materials in residential localities.
