What happened here
A fire at Mir Sales Corporation, a blanket and furnishing unit in Karan Nagar, Srinagar, started at about 11.18 pm on 24 October 2026 and took until 5.30 am to bring under control. Twelve fire stations and about 20 vehicles were used. Cotton, polythene and tarpaulin stock fed the fire, which damaged four buildings and an iron shed, and patients were evacuated from the six-storey Medicare Hospital next door. No injury was reported. The cause is unknown. Updated 26 October 2026.
Quick answers
What happened in Karan Nagar, Srinagar on 24 October 2026?
A fire broke out at Mir Sales Corporation, a blanket and furnishing unit, at about 11.18 pm and was brought under control at about 5.30 am. No injury was reported.
Were patients hurt?
All patients of the adjoining Medicare Hospital were evacuated safely, according to F&ES. No injury was reported.
How many fire stations came?
About 12 stations from Srinagar, Ganderbal and Pampore, with about 20 vehicles.
What caused the fire?
Not known. Officials said an investigation is under way.
How big was the loss?
No estimate has been given; one outlet says goods worth lakhs.
What happened
On the night of Saturday, 24 October 2026, a fire broke out at Mir Sales Corporation, a blanket-selling and furnishing unit in Kaka Sarai, Karan Nagar, Srinagar. The Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) report says the call came at 11.18 pm and the first team turned out a minute later. The unit stood directly opposite Medicare Hospital, so patients were taken out of the hospital as a precaution. No injury or death was reported. Updated 26 October 2026.
The fire was brought under control at about 5.30 am on Sunday, 25 October. Cooling work went on after that, because the building held a large quantity of cotton and other stock that could flare up again. Greater Kashmir quotes residents who said flames could be seen from far away and that people ran out of their homes fearing the fire would reach the next buildings.
How big it was
The F&ES report, as carried by Rising Kashmir and Kashmir Life, says the fire engulfed two commercial structures of two to three storeys, two three-storey residential-cum-commercial buildings and an iron shed of about 100 by 50 feet. Other outlets (Kashmir Images, Brighter Kashmir) say four commercial structures and a large iron shed, so the exact count is not settled. The stored furnishing material, polythene and tarpaulins fed the fire. The attics of the residential-cum-commercial buildings were also hit, and one building lost part of its roof.
Twelve fire stations from Srinagar, Ganderbal and Pampore sent about 20 vehicles, including a Bronto skylift, foam tenders, water bowsers, rescue teams and emergency response teams. Reports say the work lasted “nearly seven hours”. From the 11.18 pm call to 5.30 am is about six hours, so we describe it as about six to seven hours. Greater Kashmir says the fire began “shortly after midnight”, which does not match the F&ES time; we use the F&ES call time.
No loss figure has been given. Kashmir Images calls it goods worth “lakhs”; the F&ES report does not give an estimate.
The hospital next door
Medicare Hospital is a six-storey building beside the burning premises. According to F&ES, all patients were evacuated safely with the help of J&K Police, the State Disaster Response Force and other agencies. One side of the hospital building suffered indirect damage from heat, smoke and the water used in firefighting. The Director of F&ES said the response kept the fire from reaching nearby structures and protected the hospital from direct fire damage. Whether the hospital had to close wards, or how long the patients stayed away, has not been reported.
Cause and inquiry
The cause is not known. Officials told Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Images that the cause and the loss would be assessed after an investigation. We found no report of an FIR, a fire department finding or the premises’ fire clearance status. Nobody has been blamed.
Why this matters
Cotton, blankets, polythene and tarpaulin burn fast and give off heavy smoke. When they are stored in a residential-cum-commercial building beside a hospital, one electrical fault can put dozens of patients at risk. A Rising Kashmir editorial asks why a single fire needed 12 stations and seven hours, and raises fire audits, storage rules, building permissions and emergency access in crowded commercial areas. Our case on the Seelampur market fire shows how a congested market multiplies the stock at risk, and the Shyam Sangini Textile Market fire shows how long a fabric fire can take to put out. The hospital next door is the main reason the Srinagar fire matters: compare the SVP Hospital fire in Ahmedabad, where a spark in a laundry building threatened patients. For fires that start from wiring, see why small electrical faults cause big fires.
Lessons for readers
- Shop and godown owners: do not store cotton, blankets, foam or polythene on the living floors of a building. Keep stock off the floor, away from wiring and heaters, with a clear walking gap.
- Winter is the high-risk season: F&ES asked people to follow fire safety rules before winter, especially where combustible stock is kept. Check wiring and avoid overloaded extension boards and heaters near stock.
- Hospitals and clinics: know how to move patients out when a neighbouring building burns, and keep a written plan with the fire station. See the lessons in the AMRI Hospital fire case.
- Neighbours: call 112 or 101 at once, give the landmark (here, Medicare Hospital) and keep lanes clear for fire tenders. Our emergency numbers guide explains which number to use.
- Authorities: check storage and fire clearance of stock-heavy units in mixed-use areas, especially those next to hospitals. Fire response also depends on distance and road access; see fire response distance.
More on Srinagar: see our fire and emergency safety guide for emergency numbers, the fire stations and the local risks to know.
What is still not known
The cause, the loss, the exact number of buildings burnt and whether the unit had fire clearance are all unreported. We do not know whether any patient needed treatment after the evacuation. We will update this page when F&ES or police publish a finding. Last checked 26 October 2026.
- Fire call received by F&ES; first team dispatched a minute later
- Patients evacuated from Medicare Hospital as a precaution; stations from Srinagar, Ganderbal and Pampore join
- Fire brought under control; cooling operations continue because of cotton and other stock
- F&ES issues its assessment; Director and IGP Kashmir praise the response
- Cause and loss still not announced
Why consequences escalated
- A fire in a blanket and furnishing unit spread to neighbouring buildings and a large iron shed.
- Cotton, polythene and tarpaulin stock made the fire hard to fight and needed 12 stations and about 20 vehicles.
- All patients of the adjoining six-storey hospital were evacuated safely; one side of the hospital was damaged indirectly.
- No injury was reported; cause and loss are not known.
Failures and risk multipliers
- Large stocks of cotton, polythene and tarpaulin stored in a residential-cum-commercial building (reported).
- A stock-heavy unit sat directly beside a hospital in a crowded area.
- The Rising Kashmir editorial questions fire audits, storage rules and access in congested commercial lanes.
- Cause and fire clearance status not reported.
Actions that reduce risk
- Keep cotton, foam and plastic stock out of living floors, away from wiring and heaters.
- Check wiring and avoid overloaded boards before winter.
- Hospitals: keep a written plan to move patients when a neighbouring building burns.
- Call 112 or 101 early and name the landmark.
- Authorities: audit stock-heavy units near hospitals.
Leave a comment