A massive fire broke out on Friday evening at Jamia Arabia Ashraful Uloom seminary in the Hyderpora area on the outskirts of Srinagar, engulfing the Darul Uloom structure in flames.
The blaze was brought under control around 9pm after a large-scale response, resulting in minor injuries to two civilians and one firefighter, all of whom are stable. Hundreds of students studying at the seminary were safely evacuated from the premises.
At least 12 fire tenders were deployed to combat the flames. Firefighters from various stations, supported by local residents and police, worked on a war footing to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent structures. Fire and Emergency Services personnel continued operations for several hours amid dense smoke and difficult conditions, with ambulances stationed at the site as a precautionary measure. Cooling operations followed to eliminate remaining hotspots and ensure no re-ignition.
The top floor of the L-shaped four-storied structure was gutted, while the second and third floors suffered partial damage. Upon arrival, firefighters found the attic and upper floors engulfed in flames.
An official said, “Fire erupted in the multi-storeyed structure and quickly spread to the upper portions of the building, triggering a large-scale emergency response.” He added that fire tenders were immediately rushed to the spot, with additional support from command units, to contain the blaze. “A coordinated operation was launched on a war footing to prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining structures,” the official said. “The fire was brought under control, while cooling operations were also later carried out to eliminate remaining hotspots.”
The exact cause of the fire is currently under investigation and has not yet been determined.
