SRINAGAR: An abandoned and non-operational houseboat, Cherry Stone, was partially gutted in a fire incident near the Dol Dam area of Dal Lake on Saturday, with authorities clarifying that the blaze did not originate due to any electrical short circuit and is under investigation to ascertain the exact cause.
F&ES rebuts reports about a fire incident near the Dal Lake area, stating that several details circulating in the media are premature and incorrect.
An Official said that the fire broke out near the Dol Dam area, around half a kilometre from Kabutar Khana, and was jointly handled by the Fire & Emergency Services and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
Clarifying the incident, officials said the affected houseboat, “Cherry Stone,” owned by Ghulam Ahmad Dabloo, was old, abandoned and non-operational. “Since the houseboat had no active electrical connections and was not in use, the possibility of an electrical short circuit is ruled out at this stage,” official said.
As per preliminary observations, the fire initially erupted in a patch of aqua grass, which later spread to the abandoned houseboat. In the incident, nearly half portion of the houseboat was damaged, while the remaining structure was saved due to timely and coordinated intervention by the firefighting teams.
Official further clarified that no official assessment of loss has been made so far, and the exact cause of the fire has not yet been conclusively established, as the matter remains under investigation.
The entire firefighting operation was closely supervised by Deputy Director F&ES Dr. Mir Aqib Hussain, along with Mobilizing Officer Aijaz Ahmad Shah, and was called off only after the completion of the cooling process, official said.
Fire and Emergency Services have advised media persons to verify facts from the concerned authorities before publishing reports, adding that any information regarding the cause of fire or loss assessment circulating at this stage is misleading and incorrect. (KNC)
