Jammu: A blaze broke out at the historic Nehru market in the heart of Jammu city on Sunday night, prompting the Fire and Emergency Services Department to rush fire tenders to the spot to bring the blaze under control, officials said.
The incident occurred at the Warehouse Nehru Market, one of Jammu’s oldest and most prominent commercial hubs known for its wholesale trade in food grains, essential commodities and other daily-use items.
The market has been serving traders, retailers and consumers since the 1950s, playing a significant role in the city's commercial and economic activities.
The fire reportedly originated in one of the shops at around 9.15 pm and quickly spread to adjoining establishments, an official at the Fire and Emergency Services told PTI.
He noted that fire tenders from various fire stations across Jammu city were immediately rushed to the spot.
Firefighters launched a coordinated operation to douse the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to other adjoining shops and commercial establishments, the official said.
He added that an adequate number of fire personnel were deployed to contain the blaze, as the closely packed shops and warehouses in the busy market posed a major challenge to the firefighting operation.
The fire broke out amid widespread bursting of firecrackers in different parts of the city in connection with Diwali celebrations.
However, it was not immediately clear whether the fire was linked to the bursting of crackers or had originated due to some other reason.
Further details regarding the cause of the fire and the extent of damage are awaited, he said.