TRAL, April 6 — A 10-year-old boy died and six others sustained injuries when a massive fire swept through Shah-i-Hamdan Darul Uloom in south Kashmir’s Tral.
Officials said that the fire broke out suddenly, quickly engulfing the entire seminary building.
Fire tenders, aided by police and locals, managed to control the flames after hours of effort, but the structure was completely gutted.
The deceased was identified as Yasir Ahmad, son of Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Karmulla, Tral.
Six other students were injured and taken to SMHS Hospital in Srinagar for treatment.
The injured include Majid Ahmad (12), son of Bashir Ahmad Gaggi of Gulshanpora; Ishfaq Ahmad (15), son of Mohammad Ashraf; Altaf Ahmad, son of Masood Ahmad of Zardihard; Irfan Ahmad (12), son of Bashir Ahmad of Batagund; Javid Ahmad (14), son of Mohammad Yousuf of Gulshanpora; and Nasir Ahmad, son of Abdul, from Doodmarg Tral.
“The fire spread rapidly through the structure, making it difficult to rescue everyone in time,” said a local resident who assisted in the firefighting efforts.
Authorities said the cause of the fire is yet to be determined. “We’ve taken cognizance of the incident, and investigations are underway,” a police official stated.