A devastating inferno late on Thursday night completely destroyed the renowned Golden Handloom showroom in Jaisalmer's Fatehgarh area, turning the three-storey building into ashes and inflicting losses estimated to be worth several crores of rupees.
Rapid Blaze and Suspected Cause
The fire broke out when the showroom was closed for the night, which meant the blaze went undetected in its initial stages. Eyewitnesses reported that the flames spread with alarming speed, consuming the entire structure within just a few hours. All the precious handloom fabrics, furniture, and other materials stored inside were completely destroyed. Preliminary suspicions point towards a short circuit as the likely cause of the catastrophic fire.
Alleged Delayed Response and Public Anger
Upon noticing the fire, local residents sprang into action, attempting to fight the flames using buckets and water pipes in a desperate bid to control the situation. However, they have leveled serious allegations against the fire services, claiming that the fire brigade vehicles reached the spot only after a significant delay of two to three hours. By the time they arrived, the building was already fully engulfed.
This incident has sparked considerable anger among local residents and traders. They have expressed strong criticism over what they perceive as administrative negligence, stating that their previous demands for better fire safety services and infrastructure in the area had been consistently ignored by the authorities.
Official Response and Investigation
Senior administrative officials, including Fatehgarh SDM Bharat Raj and Tehsildar Nakhat Singh Sagar, promptly visited the site to assess the damage. Police personnel were deployed at the location to manage the situation and ensure security. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported in the incident, as the showroom was unoccupied at the time.
The officials have assured that a thorough investigation will be conducted to ascertain the exact cause of the fire. They also stated that the matters of compensation for the massive damages incurred and the examination of preventive measures to avoid such tragedies in the future will be seriously considered.
