A major fire gutted nearly 24 hutments in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district early on Wednesday, leaving many migrant workers without shelter and destroying most of their belongings, officials said.
The blaze broke out around 4 am in a cluster of temporary shanties near a scrapyard at Maggar Khad in the Chak Gota area. Due to the flammable material used in the structures, the fire spread quickly from one hutment to another.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel, with help from local residents, rushed to the spot and managed to bring the fire under control after a firefighting operation.
No casualties were reported in the incident. However, household items, clothes, utensils, three motorcycles and other essential belongings of the migrant workers were destroyed. Most of the affected families are rag-pickers from Bihar, officials said.
Recalling the incident, Anita Devi, one of the victims, said her family was asleep when the fire started. By the time they noticed it, the flames had already spread rapidly through the settlement. She said neighbours and locals helped her family escape safely, but everything inside their home was reduced to ashes.
"We have lost everything and are left only with the clothes we were wearing when we ran out," Anita said, appealing for government help and support to rebuild their lives.
In a separate incident, a forest fire in Rajouri district led to a series of landmine explosions along the Line of Control in the Keri sector.
Officials said loud blasts were heard from the forest area as the fire spread through dry vegetation. No injuries or casualties were reported in the incident. Security agencies and civil administration officials kept a close watch on the situation, while firefighting teams worked to contain the blaze.
Forest fires were also reported from different parts of Rajouri, Reasi and Udhampur districts during the past 24 hours. Officials said such incidents have become more frequent during the summer season due to rising temperatures and dry weather conditions. People have been advised to remain cautious and avoid activities that could spark fires in forest areas.
Also read: Forest fire erupts in Rajouri, firefighting operations underway
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