JAMMU: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Monday expressed shock over the massive fire in Jammu’s Warehouse area, which engulfed several shops and warehouses. He said that reports of a delay of fire brigade services were also “disturbing”.
In a post on X, Singh said he was “deeply shocked” by the blaze, which caused “enormous loss to the business community and traders.”
“Deeply shocked by the massive fire that broke out in the Ware House area of Jammu City last night, resulting in enormous loss to the business community and traders. It is also disturbing to hear allegations that the fire brigade services were not prompt enough in their response,” he said.
Expressing sympathy with the affected traders, he appealed to the authorities to take appropriate action and address the situation as a priority.
Following the fire, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also visited the warehouse area, where many shops were gutted, and spoke to the media.
“On Deepawali, a large fire incident happened at the warehouse, with crores of losses,” she said. She noted that many fire incidents were reported on Sunday due to firecrackers.
“The fire brigade were late in this fire, and they were not prepared for such a big fire. We appeal to the government to get the fire brigade ready,” she said, adding that the government should give good compensation to the affected traders.
BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa urged the administration to put long-term safety infrastructure in place, emphasising that every commercial market must have dedicated water points to tackle emergency situations efficiently.
Speaking to reporters after reviewing the situation, the legislator commended the on-ground response by security and civil personnel while highlighting the persistent challenges faced during such fire incidents.
