HAJIN: A devastating fire incident on Sunday afternoon reduced two residential houses and a bakery manufacturing unit to ashes in Hajin town of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
Officials said the fire broke out on the first floor of a bakery unit owned by Mohammad Altaf, son of Mohammad Maqbool, and quickly spread to the nearby residential houses due to its intensity. The bakery was reportedly in full operation, preparing stocks ahead of the upcoming Eid festival.
Fire and Emergency Services from Hajin rushed to the spot upon receiving the call, but had to seek reinforcement from Sumbal and Naidkhai fire stations due to the scale of the blaze. Despite their swift action, the flames could not be contained in time to prevent the destruction of property.
An official confirmed that two houses and the entire bakery manufacturing unit were completely gutted in the incident. “There was no loss of life, but two firefighters sustained minor injuries during the operation,” he added.
Speaking to Kashmir Reader, a visibly emotional Altaf Ahmad said, “We were preparing Eid stock. Everything we had stored has been turned to ashes.” Tears welled up in his eyes as he shared his struggles, having recently taken a bank loan, five sisters and a father battling a life-threatening illness.
He appealed to the administration for compensation, citing a complete loss of livelihood.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, and investigations are underway.