Fire seems accidental, records safe: Police
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 20: The overnight blaze gutted a portion of the Kothi Bagh Police Station while officials of Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES) said that the building lacked the necessary firefighting mechanism.
As per officials, the fire, which has been said to be accidental, broke around 2:00 am and the same was brought under control after a few hours of firefighting during which two firemen also suffered injuries, of which, one has suffered grievous injuries in the head.
Officials of the Fire & Emergency Services told Excelsior that there was no necessary firefighting mechanism in place due to which there was more damage and the fire spread quickly.
“There was no substantial firefighting mechanism in place which, if present, would have minimized the damaged and the spread of the fire keeping in view the wooden built of the structure,” the officials said.
They added that the Traffic Headquarters, Srinagar where the fire incident was earlier reported also didn’t have the necessary firefighting mechanism.
“We have earlier written to them for the necessary action with regard to putting in place the necessary equipment, but there has not been any compliance so far,” officials said.
As per the official report of the Fire & Emergency Services on the Kothi Bagh fire incident, one square-shaped, double-storeyed building of police station Kothi Bagh, GCI sheets roof area was involved in the fire.
While it said that the cause of the fire was under police investigation, it underlined that the roofing and upper storey along with office records, furniture, computers, beds, bedding, uniforms and reportedly some arms and ammunition were severely damaged.
“While as ground floor sustained indirect damage due to heat and water,” the report stated.
The report added that during the firefighting two fire-fighters – Ansar Ahmad Malla, leading fireman no. 1279 and Mohammad Altaf leading fire no 1406- got injured while Ansar Ahmad Malla got serious injuries on his head and was shifted to SMHS hospital for treatment.
Fire & Emergency stations which include, M.A. Road station, Gawkadal station, Habakadal station, HQRS, Babademb, Rawalpora and SH Pora were called in for the fire fighting.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Srinagar Police said that around midnight, a fire incident took place on first floor of the Kothibagh PS building. “Due to wooden nature of structures on the first floor, the fire spread to some rooms.”
Police said that the fire was controlled within a few hours by efforts of the fire department and prima facie the fire seems accidental
“As fire didn’t spread to ground floor, all the Police station records and articles are intact. Damage took place to SP, SDPO chambers, allied offices and barracks on first floor,” police said.
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