Jammu, Nov 11 (IANS) J&K Lt Governor (L-G), Manoj Sinha, on Wednesday formed an inquiry committee to ascertain the cause and circumstances of the fire incident in a Jammu warehouse.
An official communique said that the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, has formed an inquiry committee, comprising the Inspector General, Jammu, Tejinder Singh, and Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Vikas Kundal, to ascertain the cause and circumstances of the fire incident at the Warehouse, Nehru Market, on November 8.
The committee is directed to probe any lapses or negligence, fix responsibility, and submit its report within 15 days.
More than 15 shops were completely damaged in a massive fire that broke out in a warehouse complex near Bikram Chowk in Jammu on Sunday evening.
The incident came days after another devastating fire in Jammu’s Shiv Market, where around 40 shops were reduced to ashes.
Initial reports indicate that the blaze erupted at an edible oil shop and quickly spread, causing extensive damage to at least 15 shops.
Many people suspect that a firecracker may have triggered the blaze, though the exact cause will be known only after an investigation.
Multiple fire tenders and emergency teams rushed to the spot. Firefighters battled the flames for hours to bring the fire under control and prevent it from spreading to nearby commercial establishments.
The biggest challenge for firefighters was preventing the blaze from spreading further. The affected shopkeepers have alleged a delayed response by the fire and emergency services department.
Deputy chief minister, Surinder Choudhary, later visited the market after the blaze and assured the shopkeepers of full assistance while saying that the fire and emergency services were not under the control of the elected government.
A detailed press statement by the fire and emergency services department asserted that the fire tenders had reached the spot on time and every effort was made to bring the blaze under control.
The department said that had the response been delayed by the fire and emergency services department, the devastation would have been much worse.
–IANS
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