Jammu, November 9: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has expressed concern over the massive fire that engulfed several shops at Warehouse Nehru Market in Jammu on Sunday night, causing extensive property damage and substantial financial losses to traders.
Extending sympathy to the affected business community, Singh said the incident was distressing and urged the concerned authorities to take immediate steps to address the situation. He also expressed concern over allegations of a delayed response by the Fire and Emergency Services and called for appropriate action.
The fire broke out at around 9:15 pm in a shop at Warehouse Nehru Market, one of Jammu's prominent wholesale commercial centres dealing in food grains, essential commodities and other daily-use products. The flames quickly spread to neighbouring establishments, reportedly gutting at least 12 shops.
Firefighting teams from multiple stations across Jammu were deployed to contain the blaze and prevent further damage. The closely situated shops and the presence of highly combustible materials, including edible oil, made the operation particularly challenging.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu Vikas Kundal said the fire had been largely brought under control, while firefighting teams continued efforts to extinguish the remaining flames.
Meanwhile, the incident has raised concerns over the emergency response mechanism after Warehouse Association president Deepak Gupta alleged that fire tenders arrived nearly one-and-a-half hours after the incident was reported.
Gupta claimed that only two fire engines initially reached the spot despite a fire station being located barely five minutes away. He also alleged that officials failed to respond to phone calls during the initial stages of the emergency.
The allegations have prompted questions about the preparedness of emergency services and the adequacy of fire-safety arrangements in Jammu's major commercial establishments.
BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa also expressed concern over the extensive destruction, with traders estimating the losses to run into crores of rupees. He called for improved firefighting infrastructure and stronger emergency response arrangements in commercial areas.
No casualties were reported in the incident. The exact cause of the fire remained unknown at the time of reporting. Although the blaze occurred amid Diwali celebrations, officials had not established any connection between firecrackers and the incident.
Jammu, November 9: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has expressed concern over the massive fire that engulfed several shops at Warehouse Nehru Market in Jammu on Sunday night, causing extensive property damage and substantial financial losses to traders.
Extending sympathy to the affected business community, Singh said the incident was distressing and urged the concerned authorities to take immediate steps to address the situation. He also expressed concern over allegations of a delayed response by the Fire and Emergency Services and called for appropriate action.
The fire broke out at around 9:15 pm in a shop at Warehouse Nehru Market, one of Jammu's prominent wholesale commercial centres dealing in food grains, essential commodities and other daily-use products. The flames quickly spread to neighbouring establishments, reportedly gutting at least 12 shops.
Firefighting teams from multiple stations across Jammu were deployed to contain the blaze and prevent further damage. The closely situated shops and the presence of highly combustible materials, including edible oil, made the operation particularly challenging.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu Vikas Kundal said the fire had been largely brought under control, while firefighting teams continued efforts to extinguish the remaining flames.
Meanwhile, the incident has raised concerns over the emergency response mechanism after Warehouse Association president Deepak Gupta alleged that fire tenders arrived nearly one-and-a-half hours after the incident was reported.
Gupta claimed that only two fire engines initially reached the spot despite a fire station being located barely five minutes away. He also alleged that officials failed to respond to phone calls during the initial stages of the emergency.
The allegations have prompted questions about the preparedness of emergency services and the adequacy of fire-safety arrangements in Jammu's major commercial establishments.
BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa also expressed concern over the extensive destruction, with traders estimating the losses to run into crores of rupees. He called for improved firefighting infrastructure and stronger emergency response arrangements in commercial areas.
No casualties were reported in the incident. The exact cause of the fire remained unknown at the time of reporting. Although the blaze occurred amid Diwali celebrations, officials had not established any connection between firecrackers and the incident.
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