Absence of fire hydrants comes under scrutiny after major Baramulla blaze

Baramulla, May 19: A massive fire that gutted a sanitary goods godown in Baramulla on Monday evening, causing losses worth crores of rupees, has once again brought the absence of fire hydrants in major towns of north Kashmir under sharp focus.

The owner of the damaged godown said the fire could have been controlled at an early stage. Still, technical issues with firefighting equipment and the exhaustion of water in the first fire tender worsened the situation.

“More fire tenders arrived later, but the first vehicle at the spot ran out of water, making it difficult to contain the blaze,” said Ifthikar Ahmad Kakroo, owner of the gutted godown.

The incident has revived concerns about the failure to install fire hydrants in major towns such as Baramulla and Sopore, where fires frequently cause heavy losses, particularly during the winter months.

Notably, the Fire and Emergency Services Department does not have a single functional fire hydrant installed in any major town of the Baramulla district.

Although three hydrants were procured in 2018 for Baramulla town, they are yet to be installed due to the lack of coordination with the Jal Shakti Department.

An official from the Fire and Emergency Services Department said the department had repeatedly approached Jal Shakti authorities to facilitate installation, but no progress had been achieved so far.

Authorities had earlier identified three locations for the hydrants, including two sites in Main Bazaar and one in Old Town Baramulla. However, the proposal has remained stalled for years.

Officials said Baramulla’s elevated topography often makes firefighting operations difficult, as fire tenders require considerable time to refill water.They added that functional hydrants in congested localities could significantly reduce damage during fire incidents and improve emergency response.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Syed Fakhruddin Hamid, said the administration would look into the issue and ensure that the hydrants are installed without further delay.

“I will take up the matter with the concerned departments and ensure there is no further delay in the installation process,” he said.