JAMMU, November 8, 2026 : A massive fire broke out at the historic Warehouse Nehru Market in the heart of Jammu city on Sunday night, gutting around a dozen shops and causing substantial property damage. In a separate incident, a storeroom at the District Police Lines in Kathua district also caught fire, triggering an emergency response from fire and emergency services.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported in either incident. The exact causes of both fires remain undetermined, with the blazes occurring amid widespread firecracker bursting during Diwali celebrations.
🔥 Fire Spreads Rapidly Across Nehru Market
According to officials from the Fire and Emergency Services Department, the fire erupted in one of the shops at approximately 9:15 pm and rapidly spread to adjoining establishments. The presence of edible oil and other combustible goods reportedly contributed to the swift spread of the flames.
Nehru Market, also known as Warehouse Market, is one of Jammu’s oldest wholesale commercial centres. Established in the 1950s, it serves traders, retailers and consumers dealing in food grains, essential commodities and other everyday goods.
Fire tenders from multiple stations across Jammu city were rushed to the scene as firefighters worked to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to more shops.
Fire Brought Largely Under Control
Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Vikas Kundal, said the fire had been largely brought under control, with teams working to extinguish the remaining flames in the last one or two affected shops.
He confirmed that Fire and Emergency Services personnel, police teams and civil administration officials were present at the site to coordinate the response.
However, the scale of destruction and the number of shops affected remained subject to differing estimates from officials and local representatives.
Warehouse Association Raises Questions Over Fire Response
The incident triggered strong criticism from Warehouse Association president Deepak Gupta, who alleged that a delayed response by the Fire and Emergency Services Department allowed the flames to spread.
Gupta claimed that what began as a small fire eventually engulfed around 15 shops and posed a threat to neighbouring establishments. He alleged that despite a fire station being only a few minutes away, the initial response was inadequate and that only two fire engines arrived after a considerable delay.
He also alleged that fire brigade officials initially failed to answer calls for assistance.
These claims were allegations made by the association president and had not been independently established in the information available.
BJP MLA Calls for Stronger Fire Preparedness
BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa expressed concern over the incident, stating that at least eight shops had been gutted and that the affected traders faced losses worth crores of rupees.
He said the fire was particularly unfortunate because it occurred on Diwali and came days after a major blaze at Shiv Market near Jammu Railway Station reportedly destroyed dozens of shops.
Randhawa called on the administration to strengthen fire preparedness in major commercial areas, suggesting that two to three fire tenders should be stationed near vulnerable markets, particularly after repeated incidents.
He urged the authorities to examine the circumstances surrounding the fire and address any shortcomings in emergency response arrangements.
Separate Fire Reported at Kathua Police Lines
Meanwhile, a separate fire broke out in a storeroom at the District Police Lines in Kathua at approximately 9:50 pm on Sunday.
Fire tenders were dispatched to the location, and efforts were underway to extinguish the flames. No casualties were reported in the Kathua incident, according to the information provided.
The cause of the fire and the extent of damage at the police facility were not immediately known.
Fire Safety Concerns Return to Focus
The two incidents have renewed concerns over fire safety and emergency preparedness in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in crowded commercial establishments where combustible materials may accelerate the spread of flames.
With the causes of both fires yet to be established, investigations and assessments will be important in determining how the incidents occurred and whether additional preventive measures are required.
For traders in Nehru Market, the immediate concern remains the damage to their shops and livelihoods during the festive season.
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