According to details obtained by the news agency KNO, the Fire & Emergency Services Department has received a total of 26,354 calls reporting fire incidents from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2023.
Srinagar, March 25: An RTI found that 486 people died and 510 were wounded in J&K fires in the last six years.
KNO reported that the Fire & Emergency Services Department received 26,354 fire calls from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2023.
According to details obtained by the news agency KNO, the Fire & Emergency Services Department has received a total of 26,354 calls reporting fire incidents from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2023.
Activist MM Shuja submitted an RTI revealing that 486 people died and 510 were wounded in fires over six years. Nine firemen and staff died on the job.
Property worth 20,285.48 was involved in these fire mishaps, with 1,362.38 destroyed and 18,929 rescued.
Looking at the numbers year by year, the department got 5,314 fire calls in 2018, resulting in 104 deaths and 99 injuries.
There were 4,307 calls, 103 fatalities, and 105 injuries in 2019. In 2020, 4,072 calls caused 86 fatalities and 58 injuries.
In 2021, 4,277 calls resulted in 106 deaths and 62 injuries. In 2022, 5,833 calls caused 68 fatalities and 140 injuries.
The agency had 4,451 fire calls in 2023, but only 19 people died and 46 were wounded, the lowest total in six years.
The Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory has 168 Fire and Emergency Services stations that serve the whole territory, according to RTI data.
The Jammu range has 129 fire tenders, 34 short, while the Kashmir range has 201, 66 short.
Between 2018 and 31.12.2023, 476 Department workers retired and 734 were hired.
The RTI reply states that the department’s sanctioned gazetted personnel strength is 28, with an actual strength of 13 and a shortage of 15. The sanctioned non-gazetted staff strength is 3,610, with 2,321 in place and 1,289 short.
The provincial headquarters of Srinagar and Jammu each have one medical unit, with medical officers and para-medical staff on deputation from the Health & Medical Education Department providing medical services to employees.
