JAMMU, NOVEMBER 9: Fire and Emergency Services, Jammu and Kashmir responded to an exceptionally high number of fire incidents during the last 24 hours, with 60 incidents reported across Jammu Province, including 35 in Jammu district alone.
Particularly, 16 fire incidents were reported in Jammu district within a span of approximately five hours, from 07:00 PM onwards on 08 November 2026, including multiple major fire emergencies at different locations. These incidents required simultaneous deployment of firefighting resources and extensive mobilization of departmental manpower and equipment, placing considerable demands on the Department’s operational capacity during the Diwali festive period.
In view of Diwali, Fire and Emergency Services had made advance deployment of fire tenders at strategic locations across Jammu district, including Gole Market, Gandhi Nagar and Gangyal, to ensure prompt response to any emergency. Besides these deployments, regular Fire Stations also remained operational and responded to the reported incidents.
At 8:37 PM, a fire was reported in a five-storeyed residential-cum-commercial building at Pahari Mohalla. Four fire tenders from Gandhi Nagar Fire Station and two from City Fire Station were immediately mobilised. The tenders from City Fire Station reached the site at 8:44 PM. Additional resources were subsequently deployed, taking the total number of fire tenders engaged at the site to seven. The fire was brought under control in approximately 45 minutes, followed by cooling operations.
Another major fire was reported at a warehouse-cum-shopping premises at 9:18 PM. The premises contained grocery and ration items, including cooking oil and ghee. A total of 18 fire tenders from different Fire Stations and strategically deployed locations were mobilised. The fire tenders stationed at Gole Market, Gandhi Nagar and Gangyal were also pressed into service. CCTV footage from the Smart City camera installed at Asian Hotel Crossing shows fire tenders proceeding towards the site at 9:38 PM.
Additional three fire tenders reached the site within approximately ten minutes thereafter.
The fire was brought under control within approximately one and a half hours, after which cooling operations were undertaken to ensure that there was no further spread or recurrence. Approximately seven shops sustained fire damage, while a large number of adjoining shops were saved. The operation was carried out with the assistance of Police, SDRF and the District Administration.
At 10:28 PM, another fire incident was reported at Garden Estate, involving a marriage tent. Four fire tenders from the nearest available locations were immediately mobilised and reached the site within approximately seven to eight minutes. An additional fire tender from Bari Brahmana Fire Station was also dispatched as reinforcement. The fire was brought under control in approximately half an hour, followed by cooling operations.
Subsequently, at 11:40 PM, a fire broke out on the third floor of Janta Medical Store, Shalimar, situated in a four-storeyed building. Fire tenders from City Fire Station, along with additional firefighting units from other locations, were mobilised to tackle the incident. The first fire tender reached the site at 11:46 PM, followed by other units, taking the total deployment to five fire tenders. The fire was brought under control in approximately half an hour, followed by cooling operations.
Despite the unusually high number of fire incidents and multiple major emergencies occurring within a short span of time, Fire and Emergency Services responded promptly and attended all reported emergencies. The coordinated efforts of Fire and Emergency Services, Police, SDRF and the District Administration helped bring the fires under control and prevent their further spread.
Clarification regarding reports on social media: Certain social media posts alleged that Fire and Emergency Services took approximately one and a half hours to reach the warehouse fire incident.
The allegation has been examined against the available official deployment records and CCTV footage. The emergency call was received at 9:18 PM, while CCTV footage at Asian Hotel Crossing shows fire tenders proceeding towards the site at 9:38 PM.
Additional three fire tenders reached the site approximately within ten minutes thereafter. These records do not substantiate the allegation of a one-and-a-half-hour delay in the arrival of Fire and Emergency Services.
