Fire guts shops in Jammu's historic Nehru Market on Sunday night
A blaze at the Warehouse Nehru Market destroyed several shops, while a separate fire broke out at the Kathua district police lines.
A fire gutted at least a dozen shops in the historic Warehouse Nehru Market in Jammu on Sunday night, according to the Deccan Herald. The blaze, which began around 9.15 pm, spread quickly to adjoining establishments due to the storage of edible oil. A separate fire also broke out at a store room in the Kathua district police lines at 9.50 pm.
No casualties were reported in either incident, which occurred during Diwali celebrations amid widespread firecracker bursting. The exact cause of the blazes has not yet been ascertained. The Warehouse Nehru Market has served traders and consumers since the 1950s as a wholesale hub for food grains and essential commodities.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu Vikas Kundal said the fire had been largely brought under control and efforts were underway to extinguish remaining flames in the last few shops. BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa stated that at least eight shops were gutted, causing estimated losses of crores of rupees.
Warehouse Association president Deepak Gupta alleged gross negligence by the fire brigade, claiming that only two fire engines arrived an hour and a half after the fire started. He alleged that officials did not initially answer phone calls. Randhawa also said the administration should have stationed fire tenders at major markets following a previous fire in Shiv Market.