Around 20 shops, 7 houses, and a mosque were gutted in a devastating fire incident in old Srinagar city on Monday. Officials said that investigations are underway to find the reasons for the fire. The fire broke out at the historical markazi Jamia Masjid Ahil Hadees in the Bohri Kadal area of Srinagar.
Locals told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that fire spread quickly from the top wood floor of the masjid and engulfed the adjacent residential structures. Several months ago, the fire had damaged the same masjid. Locals said that in the previous incident, only the top story of the masjid had been gutted in the incident, but this time all three stories of the religious place suffered complete damage.
A fire official said that an officer from their department sustained injuries. He was shifted to the hospital where his condition is stated to be stable. Local sources said that at least 7 houses and around 20 shops were gutted in the inferno. The loss is estimated in crores of rupees.
Religious leaders including the Jamiat Ahil Hadees president Dr Abdul Latif Alkandi expressed deep sorrow over the incident and demanded a thorough investigation.