Seven houseboats and three sheds were destroyed after a massive fire broke out in the India Palace Houseboat, anchored behind the Nigeen Club in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar, early on Monday, 4 April.
An official of the Fire and Emergency Department said that six fire tenders were rushed to the spot at around 2 am on Monday. However, the houseboats on Nigeen Lake were substantially damaged before the fire was contained.
The destroyed houseboats.
(Photo: Muneeb ul Islam)
Locals inspect the damage.
(Photo: Muneeb ul Islam)
"Seven houseboats were gutted in a massive blaze that started around 2.30 am today in one of the houseboats in Nigeen Lake and quickly spread to others in the neighbourhood," as per sources.
Heavy Losses Suffered
Over 30 tourists were on the houseboats when the fire broke out. Although no injuries have been reported so far, locals said that they suffered heavy losses in the fire.
No injuries have been reported yet.
(Photo: Muneeb ul Islam)
Locals said that they suffered heavy losses in the fire.
(Photo: Muneeb ul Islam)
The fire was caused by a tourist's hookah, according to a houseboat owner quoted by NDTV.
The houseboats destroyed in Monday's fire include 'New Jersey', 'New Maharaja Palace', 'India Palace', 'Royal Paradise', 'Lily of World', 'Young Swift', and 'Flora'.
Earlier, in January, two houseboats were destroyed in a massive fire at Srinagar's Dal Lake.
(With inputs from NDTV.)
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