Four shops gutted in fire at Bathri Bhalessa; Saroori expressed grief over the damage to property

Demanded setting up of a fire service station at Khara, Bunjwah, Chatroo, Mugalmaidan, Saroor, Sarthal, Thakrie and Bhalessa

Bathri (Khara), 09 January: - Fire broke out in six shops in Bathri town of Tehsil Khara, Doda district yesterday late night resulting into major damage to the property though no loss of life was reported.

The incident took place around 09:45 hrs when the owner of the shop informed locals villagers after noticing the flames coming out of the shop. As soon as the news of the fire incident spread in the Bathri, the army jawans, police, Officers led by Tehsildar Khara, Majid Jahangir and locals rushed to spots immediately.

During the hectic fire fighting operation by local peoples to douse the flames as the fire tenders from the Sub-Division Thathri headquarters failed to reach to spot due to mechanical problem in the car and brought the fire under control but not before the four shops was completely gutted into ashes. The cause of fire is yet not known.

The owners of the shops are Haji Abdullah Gorsi, Nazir Ahmed Mughal and Mohammad Hussain but the shopkeepers are Abdul Qayoom, Ajaz Ahmed, Sajjad Ahmed, Ishtiyaq Ahmed, Jalal Ud Din whose all things in the shops were extensively damaged in the fire incident.

The timely action by local people prevented spread of fire which could have aggravated in densely populated market area having a number of buildings adjacent to each other.

Meanwhile senior Congress leader and MLA Inderwal Ghulam Mohammad Saroori expressed grief over the damage to property in fire incident at Bathri in Doda district and have demanded immediate relief of Rs 2 lakhs each to the fire victims.

Expressing sympathies with the victims, Saroori assured every possible help. He also directed the district administration to carry out relief and rehabilitation measures for the fire incidents.

He said that there is immediate need of opening of well equipped fire service stations at tehsil level across the State, adding that in hilly areas like erstwhile district Doda, such stations should be opened at block level.

Saroori said that in recent year major incidents like in Thathri, Keshwan, Chatroo, Bunjwah, Warwan, Marwah, Dachhan, Padder, Nagsini, Drabshala and other parts of the District have raised a question mark on preparedness of Fire Service Department and Government in tackling the increasing fire incidents in Kishtwar district and other parts of the State.

He demanded setting up of a fire service station at Khara, Bunjwah, Chatroo, Mugalmaidan, Saroor, Sarthal, Thakrie and Bhalessa areas to cater the need of the people in the area. Being a remote and far flung area, people suffer due to sudden break out of fire or man-made follies.

Saroori said that many a time human lives were lost, animals charred to death, residential houses and business establishments damaged completely due to non-availability of fire extinguishing equipment's.

Local Congress leaders including Mohd Rafique, Nissar Ahmed, Ghulam Haider Wani (Company), Abdul Majeed Rahi, Haji Ghulam Mohd Mir, Mohd Ramzan Wani, Mohd Hussain, Bashir Ahmed Sirwal, Ch Noor Maey, Ch Jasham, Abdul Qayoom, Manzoor Ahmed, Abdul Majid Khandey, Haji Ab Latief, Qazi Israeil, Farooq Shikari, Safdar Wani, Ghulam Hussain, Shameem Ahmed and people of Bathri Khara have also grief over the fire incident at Khara.