The fire at Shiv Market, near Jammu Railway Station, began around 10:30 pm on Sunday, October 25, and burned for nearly five hours, PTI reported. Around 40 shops were gutted, most selling food supplies, dry fruits and blankets, according to officials quoted in the report. No casualties were reported.
What is known
- Preliminary investigations pointed to a short circuit in one of the shops, with wind helping the fire spread. A final cause has not been announced.
- The narrow approach to the market made it hard for firefighters to reach the shops directly, so teams attacked the fire from the rear. The blaze was brought under control around 3:15 am.
- On November 2, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the market and assured affected traders of "all possible assistance", Greater Kashmir reported. Arun Gupta, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jammu, briefed him on the losses.
What is not known
No loss figure, relief package or compensation scheme has been announced in the reports we read. Different accounts give different shop counts (a Tribune caption says 30; PTI says around 40), and nothing we found describes an official fire-safety audit of the market. A Tribune column on November 4 says compliance with fire-safety norms and emergency access remain concerns in the city's growing neighbourhoods.
A checklist for shopkeepers and neighbours
- Walk your lane and ask whether a fire tender could actually reach the back of your row.
- Have your wiring inspected by a licensed electrician, especially if extension boards and heaters run through winter.
- Keep stock and cartons away from switchboards, and keep a working extinguisher where staff can reach it.
- Ask your market association about a shared emergency contact list and about joint safety checks.
Sources: PTI via ThePrint; Greater Kashmir; The Tribune.
