JAMMU, Nov 10 (Agencies): Fire and Emergency Services on Monday said it responded to 60 fire incidents across Jammu Province in a 24-hour period, including 35 in Jammu district, amid a series of blazes during the Diwali period.
Sixteen incidents were reported in Jammu district within around five hours from 7 pm on Sunday, placing considerable pressure on firefighters, vehicles and equipment.
A fire was reported at 8:37 pm in a five-storey residential-cum-commercial building at Pahari Mohalla. Seven fire tenders were dispatched, and the blaze was brought under control in about 45 minutes.
At 9:18 pm, firefighters received a call about a fire at a warehouse-cum-shopping complex storing grocery and ration goods, including cooking oil and ghee. A total of 18 fire tenders were mobilised from different stations and strategic standby locations. The fire was brought under control in around 90 minutes. About seven shops were damaged, but crews managed to stop the blaze from spreading to many adjoining shops. Police, SDRF and the district administration also assisted.
Two more major fires followed: one at a marriage tent in Garden Estate at 10:28 pm, and another on the third floor of Janta Medical Store in Shalimar at 11:40 pm. Both fires were brought under control in around 30 minutes, followed by cooling operations.
The department said it had pre-positioned fire tenders at Gole Market, Gandhi Nagar and Gangyal for the festive period, in addition to the regular deployment of fire stations.
It also rejected social media claims that firefighters took about 90 minutes to reach the warehouse. The department said it received the emergency call at 9:18 pm, while CCTV footage at Asia Hotel Crossing showed fire tenders heading to the site at 9:38 pm. Three additional tenders arrived about 10 minutes later. According to the department, its deployment records and the footage did not support the claim of a 90-minute delay.