TAUSEEF AHMAD
SRINAGAR, May 11: A major fire broke out at the Darul Uloom Imdadiya seminary in the Iqbal Colony area of Naik Bagh, Nowgam in Srinagar on Monday afternoon, causing significant damage to the upper portion of the building and triggering panic across the densely populated locality. Fortunately, all students and staff present inside the seminary were evacuated safely, and no loss of life or injuries were reported.
According to officials and local residents, the incident occurred at around 4:00 PM when flames were first noticed emerging from the upper storey of the Darul Uloom building. Thick plumes of smoke soon engulfed a portion of the seminary, sending shockwaves through the congested neighbourhood where residential houses stand in close proximity to each other.
As panic spread in the locality, seminary staff members and local residents immediately rushed to the scene and made initial efforts to contain the flames using available resources before the arrival of firefighting teams.
Eyewitnesses said the narrow lanes and congested surroundings created difficulties during the initial rescue and firefighting efforts.
Soon after receiving information about the blaze, multiple fire tenders from the Fire and Emergency Services Department rushed to the spot and launched an extensive operation to douse the flames. Firefighters worked relentlessly for a considerable period to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby residential houses and adjoining structures, as strong flames and smoke posed a serious threat to the area.
Officials said the upper floor of the seminary suffered extensive damage in the incident. Furniture, educational material, and parts of the structure were reportedly affected by the fire. However, the timely evacuation of students prevented what could have turned into a major tragedy.
Police personnel and officials from the Fire and Emergency Services Department also remained present at the site to supervise rescue and firefighting operations and ensure public safety. Authorities later secured the area after the flames were brought under control.
Preliminary assessments suggest that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit, though the exact cause will be determined after a detailed inspection and technical assessment by the concerned authorities.
The incident created fear and anxiety among local residents due to the congested nature of Naik Bagh and the close clustering of residential homes around the seminary premises. Many locals gathered around the area as emergency teams continued operations to completely extinguish the fire and prevent any possibility of reignition.
Despite the scale of the blaze and the damage caused to the building, officials confirmed that no casualties or injuries were reported in the incident. An assessment of the losses caused by the fire is expected to be carried out by the concerned departments in the coming days.
