Jammu, Nov 10: A raging fire tore through commercial godowns at the prominent Warehouse Nehru Market in Jammu late Sunday night, destroying wholesale stock worth lakhs of rupees and triggering a large-scale emergency response across the city’s principal commercial hub.
The blaze erupted in one of the central warehouse complexes and rapidly engulfed neighboring establishments due to the presence of highly combustible goods, including food grains, edible oils, and packaging materials. Towering flames and thick plumes of smoke lit up the night sky, causing widespread panic among local traders and nearby residents.
Upon receiving distress alerts, the Fire and Emergency Services Department mobilized a fleet of fire tenders and heavy water bowsers from Gandhi Nagar, the City Fire Headquarters, and surrounding emergency substations. Firefighting squads faced difficult operational conditions as narrow, congested access lanes and densely packed godowns complicated the deployment of high-pressure hoses.
Emergency crews battled the inferno for several continuous hours, cutting through metal shutters and establishing defensive perimeters to halt the spread of flames to adjoining market rows and residential blocks. Police personnel cordoned off surrounding access points along Nehru Market and Asia Crossing to facilitate the unhindered movement of emergency vehicles.
While no casualties were reported, traders and business owners suffered severe property and inventory losses. Authorities have initiated a technical probe to establish whether the blaze originated from an electrical short-circuit or from stray firecrackers burst during Diwali festivities.
Published by True Roots Media