Fire guts around 40 shops near Jammu Railway Station

• Around 40 shops were gutted in a fire at Shiv Market near Jammu Railway Station; no casualties were reported

• A suspected short circuit triggered the blaze, which spread rapidly amid strong winds, officials said

• Narrow access hampered firefighters, who approached from the rear and brought the flames under control after nearly five hours

A fire destroyed around 40 shops at Shiv Market near Jammu Railway Station overnight, with firefighters battling the flames for nearly five hours, officials said on Monday.

No casualties were reported in the blaze, which started at about 10.30 pm on Sunday and was brought under control at around 3.15 am.

Most of the affected shops sold food supplies, dry fruits and blankets. The fire consumed merchandise and damaged shop structures, leaving traders facing extensive losses.

Officials said preliminary findings pointed to a short circuit in one of the shops as the possible cause. Winds helped the flames spread quickly through the market.

The market’s narrow approach restricted access for firefighting teams, making it difficult for them to reach the burning shops directly. Crews had to move to the rear of the commercial stretch to tackle the blaze and limit its spread.

Despite sustained firefighting efforts, the flames continued to engulf shops and their contents for several hours before being brought under control.

With PTI inputs