Midnight infernos: J&K orders fire safety audit of all government buildings

SRINAGAR: Seemingly alarmed by the increasing number of infernos, Jammu and Kashmir administration has ordered a fire safety audit of all government buildings.

 “Director-General Fire and Emergency Services shall carry out a fire safety audit of all government buildings in Jammu and Kashmir immediately. All the concerned administrative secretaries shall take immediate corrective action in light of the fire safety audit reports so furnished to them for preventing the occurrence of fire incidents in all buildings of their departments,” said Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Principal Secretary to Government, General Administration Department.

The administration has been shaken by the increasing number of fire incidents in Kashmir. On May 18,  traffic police headquarters was damaged in the fire incident. Later Kothi Bagh police station was gutted. A few months ago, Government Bone and Joint Hospital were also gutted in the fire incident.

For the last few years, Kashmir has been witnessing an increase in fire incidents. Kashmir witnessed 2058 fire incidents in 2021 which is 7.6 percent more than in 2020. The property involved in these incidents was worth Rs 1127 crore. Firefighters were able to save property worth Rs 1056 crore. Of the 2058 fire incidents, 614 occurred in Srinagar alone. The number of fire incidents in Kashmir in 2016 was 2707. In 2017, it decreased to 2310. Around 2150 fire incidents occurred in 2018. In 2019 and 2020, 1833 and 1900 fire incidents were reported in Kashmir respectively. 

Hospital figures reveal that more than 20,000 cases of burn injuries are being reported in Kashmir every year. Of them, 15000 are admitted to different hospitals. Some of the patients develop acute gangrene and some of them succumb to their injuries. Most of the cases are accidental and the elderly, women, and children are highly vulnerable. Hospital figures reveal that burns by gas stoves and other home appliances are on a rise in the valley.