50 shops, hotel gutted in Gandarbal locals express anger over belated response
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, at least 50 shops were gutted at Sonamarg market including hotels in Gandarbal district in a devastating fire that raged last evening while the locals complained that the fire tenders reached too late at the spot.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the fire broke out from Hotel Sounsar and soon spread to other hotels and shops of Sonamarg market, resulting in damage worth crores.
The locals and traders at Sonamarg market alleged that the fire tenders reached the spot too late, and said the authorities failed to establish a fire services station here.
Notably, dozens of structures including shops and hotels have been gutted in several devastating fire incidents in the past at Sonamarg in which property worth crores was destroyed.
A hotel owner said that for the last decade they have been demanding a fire services station at Sonamarg, adding that despite getting assurances nothing substantial has been done so far.
He said that in the past many devastating fire incidents have taken place at Sonamarg consuming property worth crores, adding that the damage would have been lessened if the fire tenders had been on the spot.
