The Directorate of Fire & Emergency Services, Jammu and Kashmir, has issued an advisory for the general public, urging citizens to remain vigilant and adopt fire safety precautions during the winter season in view of the rising incidents of fire across the region.
According to the advisory, people have been asked to ensure that all electrical heating gadgets such as room heaters, Bukharies, and LPG cooking gas stoves are properly switched off and unplugged before going to bed or leaving their homes.
The department has also advised citizens to use Kangris with utmost care and keep them in safe places during nights to prevent accidental fires. It further cautioned against storing combustible materials like dry grass and wood inside residential areas, recommending that such items be kept away from houses.
People have been urged to refrain from using faulty or sub-standard electrical appliances, including room heaters and electric blankets, as these may cause short circuits leading to fires. The advisory also emphasizes the use of good quality fuses, miniature circuit breakers (MCB), and earth leakage circuit breakers for electrical safety.
The Directorate advised residents to keep electric wires away from hot and wet surfaces, stay in the kitchen while cooking, and turn off the stove if leaving even for a short period. It also stressed the importance of proper ventilation while using LPG heaters.
Citizens have been reminded not to dispose of cigarette butts carelessly and to ensure that escape routes and water access points remain clear, especially in residential and market areas.
“In case of any fire incident, people are requested to immediately call Fire & Emergency Services on Toll-Free No. 101 or contact the nearest fire station,” the advisory reads.
The advisory was issued by Alok Kumar (IPS), Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and Director, Fire & Emergency Services, J&K, with the aim of preventing fire-related tragedies during the winter months.
