Five houses were gutted and two people sustained injuries after a fire, triggered by an LPG cylinder blast, broke out in a remote village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, officials said on Friday.
The fire erupted in a house in Thachna village late Thursday and spread rapidly to nearby homes, they said.
Teams from the district administration, police, army, and fire services, assisted by local residents, launched a joint operation to douse the flames. Fire tenders were rushed to the remote area, while LPG cylinders from nearby houses were removed to prevent further spread of the fire, officials added.
Deputy Commissioner of Kishtwar, Pankaj Sharma, who monitored the operation, said that the fire was brought under control after several hours.
“Four to five houses were gutted in the incident. There was no loss of life. Two persons engaged in firefighting efforts suffered injuries and were given first aid,” he told PTI.
He said tents and other relief material have been provided to the affected hamlet, and a detailed assessment of losses will be conducted.
The houses damaged in the fire belonged to Liaqat Mir, Bashir Ahmed, Alfa Mir, and Jibran Mir.
Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma said he was in constant touch with the affected families to discuss relief measures.
National Conference MP Sajad Kitchloo expressed grief over the incident and said he had spoken to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to ensure immediate assistance.
Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hamid Karra also expressed concern over the fire, urging the district and UT administrations to provide urgent relief, temporary shelter, and rehabilitation to the affected families amid harsh winter conditions.
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