16-year-old among two killed as fire destroys 80 shelters in Srinagar

Srinagar: Two scrap collectors, including a 16-year-old boy, were killed after a massive fire destroyed around 80 temporary shelters in Durbal, Bemina, in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar district in the early hours of Wednesday.

The fire broke out at around 12.23 am, engulfing nearly 80 makeshift shelters built using tarpaulin and wood. An empty poultry farm and a tipper were also damaged in the blaze, officials said.

Fire and Emergency Services personnel from JVC and Rawalpora fire stations, along with reinforcements from the headquarters at Batamaloo, were deployed to contain the fire.

According to eyewitnesses, the flames had spread across the area before firefighters were alerted. After bringing the blaze under control, personnel recovered two bodies from the debris.

The deceased were identified as Mohd Noor Alam (27), son of Abdal Wahab, and Al Ameen (16), son of Mohd Rafi. Both were residents of Delhi and were working as scrap collectors in Durbal, Bemina. The latter was also reported to be residing in Kupwara.

The bodies were handed over to the local police after forensic science laboratory (FSL) proceedings were completed, officials said.

Police have registered a case, while the cause of the fire remains unknown.

Dry weather raises fire concerns in Kashmir

Fire incidents have become more frequent in the Kashmir Valley amid prevailing dry weather conditions, officials said.

Human activities account for an estimated 80 to 95 per cent of accidental fires, according to officials. Common triggers include unattended campfires, improperly extinguished fires, carelessly discarded cigarette butts, and the uncontrolled burning of waste or agricultural fields.

Sparks from vehicles and machinery, dragging tow chains on dry roads and fallen power transmission lines are also among the reported causes of accidental fires in the region.

IANS