Fire at Vaishno Devi shrine complex

Jammu, Jun 08 (PTI): A fire broke out at Vaishno Devi shrine complex in Jammu Kashmir’s Reasi district on Tuesday, damaging a cash counter, officials said.
The fire – believed to be the result of an electrical short circuit – broke out around 4.15 pm inside a cash counting room in Kalika Bhavan, which is adjacent to the sanctum sanctorum.
It burned for about 45 minutes before being brought under control at around 5 pm. No deaths or injuries have been reported. The building suffered significant damage; visuals from after the fire was put out showed it had been completely burned down. Officials say some cash and documents were destroyed. No one was injured in the fire, which broke out from the structure adjoining the ‘Bhawan’ (sanctum sanctorum), the officials said.
Visuals from the scene showed thick smoke billowing out of the building as firefighters worked to douse the flames. Fire fighting squad of the shrine immediately swung into action after CRPF personnel raised an alarm, the officials said. Some cash and records were gutted in the fire, the officials said. “We got a call around 4.30 pm. Initial reports suggest the fire broke out due to electric (short)circuit,” Shailender Singh, the Senior Superintendent of Police for Reasi district said. “SHO (Station House Officer) Reasi rescued people who trapped inside the fire. Some suffered minor injuries and are getting medical attention,” he added.
Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh said he had spoken to the Reasi District Collector and been told the situation was being resolved.
“Spoke to DC Reasi, S Charandeep Singh, just now and inquired about the fire that broke out near the Vaishno Devi shrine some time back. Thankfully, everything brought under control. No major loss reported. However, keeping a close track for the next few hours,” he tweeted.