7 houses, 9 shops gutted in Doda

Doda, January 14

Seven houses and nine shops were gutted in a massive blaze in the Goha-Marmat area of Doda district on Monday. The fire was triggered at 1.15 pm in Goha market allegedly due to a short-circuit. The fire spread fast and engulfed the timbered houses. The residents ran out of their homes in panic as the blaze spread.

Twelve cylinders also exploded inside the houses but no one was injured. The fire started from one Nabi Baksh Wani’s house in Goha.

“Most of the residential complexes are used for rental accommodation. Five houses were damaged completely and two partially. The blaze was triggered at 1.15 pm. The fire tenders reached at 2.35 pm from 45 km away,” a resident said. “Had the fire-fighting facilities been available in the Goha-Marmat area, the blaze could have been controlled. Due to its absence, the whole market has been reduced to ashes, forcing many families to spend their night in open,” he said.

Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Doda, Dalmir Choudhary said, “We are still collecting the data, but our officials have reached the spot. We have sent the relief material of 10 tents, 50 blankets, 10 kitchen sets and 10 solar lights to the four victim families.” “We are also providing Rs 10,000 to shopkeepers from Red Cross and five kg of ration per family as an immediate relief. Those persons who lost their houses would get Rs 1 lakh as relief from the government,” he added.

Meanwhile, three houses and seven shops were gutted in a major blaze in Kahara on Saturday. — OC