NEW DELHI: Thirteen shops were gutted in a major fire that broke out in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir early on Sunday, officials said.The blaze erupted around 5 am in Bufliaz Central Market along the Mughal Road, rapidly spreading through a row of mostly wooden and tin-roofed shops, PTI reported.Local residents, assisted by Army and CRPF personnel, launched firefighting efforts before teams from the Fire and Emergency Services Department reached the spot. Videos circulating on social media showed massive flames engulfing the market, with property worth crores reportedly damaged. An official from the Fire and Emergency Services Department said the fire was brought under control within 30 minutes of firefighting operations, preventing further destruction. No casualties were reported.Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was triggered by a short circuit in one of the shops before spreading to adjacent structures, the official said.The incident has sparked anger among local residents and traders, who accused the civil administration of failing to respond promptly.”The absence of a fire station in the area turned this into a bigger tragedy. One fire tender from Surankote reached the spot more than an hour after the blaze broke out. We are grateful to the Army and CRPF personnel for their prompt response, which helped save at least four shops from being engulfed by the flames. Sadly, no representative of the civil administration visited the scene to assess the damage or offer assistance,” a fire victim told PTI.Affected traders and residents alleged that the delay in firefighting efforts allowed the flames to spread rapidly, causing extensive damage to shops and property.They demanded that a permanent fire station be established in the area, saying the lack of emergency infrastructure has repeatedly put lives and property at risk. Locals also urged the administration to conduct a detailed assessment of the losses and provide financial assistance to affected families and shopkeepers to help them rebuild their livelihoods.
