Many urban settlements in Jammu, Srinagar susceptible to fire accidents: NIDM

Calls for appropriate mitigation measures

Srinagar, Jul 08: National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) has called for appropriate mitigation measures to prevent fire incidents in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a report, the NIDM, said all the densely populated urban areas, across the UT are highly vulnerable to urban fire incidents, especially Gurez, Doda, Kishtwar, and other dilapidated areas, and that many urban settlements in Srinagar and Jammu are susceptible to fire accidents.

“There is a need to take appropriate mitigation measures. During the dry spells, a forest fire in the UT is a common scenario especially in the autumn season and in the month of May and June. The forest cover in the state is about 20,230 sq.km., which is about 19.90% of the total geographical area of the erstwhile state (including Ladakh UT). Some of the districts in the UT which are highly prone to forest fire are Ramban, Kishtwar, Udampur, Reasi, Samba, Doda, Kathua, Srinagar, and Kupwara,” the report states.

According to the Fire Statistical Data of Kashmir, from 2015 to 2021, a total of 19,407 fire incidents with 403 human casualties, injuries to 355 people, and damage to 18,362 structures/shops/vehicles/electric transformers.

The review report states that urban fire is a common phenomenon, predominantly in the city of Srinagar, mentioning that one of the greatest urban fires of Srinagar was the first recorded fire incident that was during the 18 century AD a devastating fire that broke out in Mohalla Malchimar in Safakadal, which destroyed twenty adjacent Mohallas including 40,000 houses.

The report mentions that in 1993, a fire incident that happened in Lal Chowk, Srinagar, was also one of the worst urban fire incidents which killed 125 people. In total, around 59 houses, 190 small shops, 59 stores, 5 huge commercial buildings, 2 office buildings, 2 schools, and a shrine were burned down by the blaze.

According to the report, in June 2012, a 200-year-old shrine of Dastager Sahib in the old city was destroyed. In November 2012, 52 houses and cowsheds were burned down in Frislan, a Mohalla located on the periphery of the village Pahalgam.

In February 2013, 24 houses and several domestic animals died in Kishtwar district. In June 2013, a major fire broke out in the annex of the Civil Secretariat, the seat of the Jammu and Kashmir government. In May 2014, hotel Neelam in Jammu killed 4 people, and dozens were injured.

In 2017, 38 persons lost their lives while property worth Rs 64.33 crores were destroyed in a total of 2938 fire incidents which involved 2596 structures across Kashmir.