Haris Reyaz

Baramulla: Fire broke out in Banglow Bagh locality of old town Barmaulla of North Kashmir in which a joint residential house of three families gutted and goods worth lakhs were reduced to ashes on Saturday late afternoon.

 Witness said that massive fire broke out from upper story of residential house of  Ghulam Nabi Teli, Mushtaq Ahmed Teli,  Farooq Ahmed Teli sons of Habibullah Teli of Banglowbagh Baramulla which engulfed entire house in jiffy and goods worth lakhs of rupees were reduced to ashes despites immediate fire fighting operation by locals who were later assisted by fire tenders.

“I was sitting in another house when all of sudden fire flames came out from a locked room of our house in upper story. I tried to unlock the room but flames jumped out spread to entire house in jiffy causing huge damage,” said Mushtaq Ahmed Teli, a fire victim.

“As we tried to extinguish the fire but it went out of control reducing entire upper story of the house and goods worth lakhs of

rupees into ashes including cash 10 lacs and other good,” added Teli another owner of the gutted house.

Locals allege that fire tenders reached late on the spot due to which fire caused more damage to the house a charge denied by the fire service department.

“We reached immediately after receiving the call but due to congestion in old town it took us time to start freighting operation,” said a fire service man busying in fighting fire.