Srinagar: 9-Year-Old Charred To Death In Dal Lake Houseboat Fire

The houseboat near Ghat number 16 at Dal Lake was completely gutted in the fire.

Dal Lake, Srinagar

Source : ANI

New Delhi: A nine-year-old girl was charred to death after a houseboat in Srinagar's Dal Lake caught fire last night, reported the Kashmir Observer. The houseboat near Ghat number 16 was completely gutted in the fire, the report added.

As soon as the incident came to light, fire tenders were rushed to the spot to take control of the situation and douse the fire, said officials. By the time the houseboat fire was put of,  Bashir Ahmed Goswani's 9-year-old daughter Nahida Bashir was charred to death. Nahida's body was recover from the houseboat by the police after the incident, reported the Kashmir Observer. Investigations are on to determine the exact cause of the fire.

Several incidences of fire on a houseboat at the popular tourist spot Dal Lake have been reported in the past due to which a meeting was held by the J&k Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta in April. 

During the meet the Chief Secretary had said to constitute a committee at senior level that will look into the registration, renewal, and operation of houseboats in Dal and Nigeen Lakes besides a legal framework for enforcing the policy, reported The Statesman.

The committee after being constituted would also be entrusted with the responsibility of inspecting the houseboats to ensure compliance with all laid down norms, structural safety, fire hazard, sewage, and waste disposal, said the Statesman report.

Another important aspect that the committee would look into is strict compliance of fire safety norms by the houseboat owners besides ensuring proper functional sewage treatment system is in place for solid and liquid waste.