17 houses and other structures gutted in Kashmir

Srinagar , Dec 4: Seventeen houses and other structures were gutted in the Kashmir valley overnight, official sources said today. They said a fire broke out in a house at Manzgam Hakoora in south Kashmir district of Anantnag early tonight.

However, before the fire tenders could reach there, the flames engulfed two houses and four cowsheds. A house, four cowsheds and two shops were gutted in a devastating fire at Magam, Handwara in the frontier district of Kupwara while four houses were reduced to ashes at Khansahib in the central Kashmir.

More than 600 fire incidents took place in the valley during the past three months, mainly due to dry weather, causing damage to property worth crores of rupees.

About 80 shops were gutted in a devastating fire at the historic Shri Ranbir Gunj in the downtown city recently. Forest area in several km area was also damaged in different fire incidents in the valley during the past two months.

UNI