JHELUM VALLEY (Kashmir English): A devastating fire broke out in Chinari bazaar in Jhelum Valley district at around 1 am last night, destroying eight shops.
In a statement, the Commissioner’s Office Muzaffarabad said that the fire spread rapidly in the market, prompting the local authorities to contact the Muzaffarabad administration, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), and Municipality for assistance.
The district administration dispatched fire brigade vehicles and teams to the scene.
The Jhelum Valley and Muzaffarabad administrations, in collaboration with other relevant departments, brought the fire under control at night, the statement said.
The Commissioner’s Office confirmed that no one was injured in the incident; however, a total of 8 shops were completely gutted, including four furniture shops and four other shops.
The affected traders and residents have appealed to the government and administration to provide immediate financial assistance and conduct a transparent investigation into the causes of the fire.
The traders also demanded a fire brigade station, as there is no fire brigade facility in Chinari and other nearby commercial centers like Chakothi. Locals said that the fire brigade vehicles arrived when most of the shops were engulfed.
