Fires destroy hotel, tyre factory in Jammu and Kashmir

A fire in south Kashmir's Pahalgam tourist resort Monday destroyed a hotel and two dozen shops, while a devastating blaze destroyed a tyre factory in Jammu although there was no loss of life, officials said.

Police said the fire in Pahalgam destroyed the local tourist reception centre, a hotel and two dozen shops in the main market where a dozen fire tenders battled the blaze.

"The fire started in the Pahalgam market in the evening," a police officer told IANS in Srinagar.

Pahalgam is presently packed with hundreds of tourists who have come here to escape the scorching heat in the plains.

In Jammu, police said a fire broke out in Shiva Industries in Bari-Brahamana industrial area, 15 km from the Shaheedi Chowk city centre.

Half a dozen fire tenders battled the blaze and prevented it from spreading to other buildings, a police officer told IANS.

The cause of fire is being established.

--India-Asian News Service

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