Srinagar: Fire near Hazralbal, 14 homes damaged, shrine safe

A major fire broke out in a residential locality near the famous Hazratbal shrine here, gutting 14 houses, but there was no damage to the religious place.

"At least 14 residential houses and two boats were damaged in a devastating fire in Hazratbal area on the outskirts of the city early today," officials said.

Fire broke out in a house at Dhobi Ghat locality in the vicinity of the holy shrine on the banks of Dal Lake around 3.00 AM and spread to adjoining residential houses, a spokesman of the Fire and Emergency Services department said.

He said Fire tenders were immediately rushed to the scene and it took several hours to bring the blaze under control, he said.

However, 10 single storey houses, four double storey houses, two boats and five wooden structures were damaged in the incident, the spokesman said and put the estimated loss in the fire at Rs 1.5 crore.

There was no report of any casualty in the fire, the cause of which is believed to be an electric short-circuit, the spokesman said.

There was no damage to the Hazratbal Shrine, housing the holy relic of Prophet Mohammad.

Meanwhile, local MLA Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal, uncle of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, visited the affected locality and expressed sympathy with the families whose homes were damaged.

Kamaal assured the victims that they will be rehabilitated on war footing.

"Kamaal also expressed sympathecies on behalf of Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister New and Renewable Energy, and the Chief Minister," a spokesman of the ruling National Conference said. The MLA and Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Shah distributed cash relief Rs 28,000 to each family from under various including constituency development fund of Kamaal and government relief.