Location: Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir
Accident Update: Midnight blaze engulfs temporary settlement in Doorbal area; two ragpickers hailing from Delhi charred to death
A heartbreaking tragedy struck the Bemina area of Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. A massive fire broke out at a temporary settlement in the Doorbal region, reducing nearly 80 shanties to ashes within minutes. Two people, including a 16-year-old minor, were charred to death in the incident. The deceased were originally residents of Delhi working as ragpickers in the city.
Midnight Flames Spread Rapidly
According to Fire and Emergency Services officials, the call reporting the fire was received at around 12:23 AM. Since the makeshift structures were primarily constructed using dry wood, plastic sheets, and tarpaulins, the flames spread at a terrifying speed. Before sleep-deprived residents could react or fire tenders could fully set up, the inferno had swallowed the entire cluster.
Two Charred Bodies Recovered From Debris
Following hours of intense firefighting, a search operation through the debris led to the recovery of two severely burnt bodies. The deceased have been identified as:
Mohammad Noor Alam (27 years): Native of Delhi, currently residing in Bemina.
Al Amin (16 years): Native of Delhi, who was recently staying in Kupwara.
After forensic examination procedures were completed at the scene, both bodies were handed over to the local police for post-mortem and other legal formalities.
Rescue Operations and Collateral Damage
Given the severity of the blaze, fire units were immediately dispatched from JVC and Rawalpora fire stations, with additional reinforcement called from the Batamaloo headquarters. Local police from the Bemina station, civil administration officials, and nearby residents joined hands in the relief effort.
The intensity of the fire was so extreme that an adjacent empty poultry farm and a parked tipper truck were also heavily damaged. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, and police have registered a case to probe all angles. The disaster has left dozens of underprivileged families homeless under the open sky.
