Fire partially damages Katra helipad terminal in Jammu & Kashmir

Jammu, Sep 20

A fire partially damaged the helipad terminal, used to ferry pilgrims to the hilltop Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, at Katra in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district early on Sunday.

According to local sources, the fire was noticed around 3.15 a.m. The flames were brought under control shortly after by personnel present at the site, with assistance from fire and emergency services.

The helipad terminal, an important transit point for pilgrims travelling to the shrine atop the Trikuta Hills, was closed at the time of the incident.

No casualties have been reported so far. The extent of the damage is being assessed.

An investigation is currently underway to ascertain the exact cause of the fire, though a short circuit is suspected.

In a similar incident in June, a fire had broken out near the helipad at Ram Katha Park in Ayodhya minutes before the scheduled landing of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, officials said.

Police had then launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire and determine how it broke out close to the helipad designated for the Chief Minister's arrival, according to an NDTV report.

The blaze reportedly started near the helipad and quickly spread towards the nearby Saryu Guest House. According to officials, it affected an area of about 15 metres before being brought under control ahead of the chief minister's landing.

Security personnel deployed at the site initially attempted to contain the flames before fire brigade teams arrived and extinguished the blaze.

No injuries or loss of life were reported.

A massive fire broke out at the Sethi Complex Manihari Katla, also known as Purohit Ji Ka Katla, in Jaipur's Tripolia Bazaar in Rajasthan on Thursday morning. More than 20 shops and warehouses, including clothing warehouses, plastic goods shops and bangle stores, were reportedly affected by the blaze.

According to initial information, the fire started in goods stored in cartons outside a clothing shop on the second floor.