Srinager Jan 2 : At least 20 residential houses were completely gutted in a devastating fire that broke out late Thursday night in Tachna village of the Dachhan area in Kishtwar district, leaving several families homeless.
Officials told that the fire erupted during the night hours and spread rapidly due to the close clustering of houses and the predominance of wooden structures. The situation was further worsened by the difficult terrain, poor road connectivity, and limited access to the area, which delayed the arrival of fire tenders.
Firefighting and rescue operations continued for several hours under challenging conditions. Local residents also joined the efforts to douse the flames, but by the time the fire was brought under control, massive damage had already been caused.
Preliminary reports suggest that several livestock were charred to death in the incident, while at least four persons sustained burn injuries. The injured were immediately shifted to a nearby health facility, where their condition was stated to be stable.
Officials said houses belonging to several families were completely destroyed in the fire. A rented Anganwadi centre was also reduced to ashes.
In addition, a number of other structures suffered partial damage during the rescue operations, further increasing the overall loss of property. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and a detailed assessment of losses is currently underway.
No loss of life has been reported so far. Authorities said steps have been initiated to provide immediate relief and assistance to the affected families.
