TANGMARG: A major fire on Wednesday morning reduced the Divisional Forest Office (DFO) Tangmarg to ashes, raising serious questions over fire safety preparedness in the Tangmarg-Gulmarg areas, especially in a high-tourist zone.
Officials said the blaze broke out early in the day and spread rapidly through the wooden structure, engulfing the entire building within minutes. Fire and Emergency Services personnel reached the spot but were unable to control the flames in time, resulting in extensive damage.
“No injuries have been reported so far, and a preliminary inquiry has been initiated,” police said.
DFO Tangmarg, Feroz Ahmed, confirmed that most of the office’s records were destroyed. “The building was old and made of wood, which allowed the fire to spread very quickly,” he said, adding that although the department informed the Fire Services promptly, the cause of the delayed response remains unclear.
Witnesses at the scene reported that the first fire tender ran out of water before the blaze could be contained, leading to further escalation. It took nearly an hour for an additional fire vehicle to arrive, by which time the building had been completely gutted.
Residents and officials expressed concern that Tangmarg—gateway to the world-famous tourist destination of Gulmarg—continues to be served by only one fire service unit. The same vehicle also responds to fire incidents in nearby Baderkoot, often arriving too late to prevent major losses.
Local voices have now renewed calls for the immediate deployment of two to three additional fire service units in the heavily forested Tangmarg-Gulmarg belt, where the risk of forest fires and residential fires is high, especially during winter when heavy snow hampers mobility.
They urged the administration to strengthen fire safety infrastructure in the region to prevent similar incidents in the future.
