Waris Fayaz
Sopore, Nov 14 : Industrialists in Kashmir demand a standby fire and emergency vehicle for every estate in the valley following a devastating fire at a prominent furniture manufacturing unit in the Baba Raza Industrial Estate Sopore, which left the entire factory in ruins on Wednesday evening.
The factory, known as Habib Enterprises, was established in 1980 and employed around 150 workers, including non-local staff residing with their families in the area.
According to the details obtained by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the incident has led to an estimated loss of materials worth around 4 crores, impacting the livelihoods of numerous workers and their families. The cause of the fire is said to be the short circuit.
Speaking to KNO, the owner of the factory, Ishtiyaq Ahmed, expressed sorrow over the destruction, saying they had overcome several challenges, including the Kashmir turmoil, to keep the business running since its inception.
“We have produced around 300,000 beds and one million sofa sets, delivering quality products to our loyal customers. Our 150 workers are part of this journey, and now we face a tragedy together,” he said. He urged authorities to consider the loss as collective and to support the rehabilitation of the unit.
Javid Bhat, president of the Sopore Industrial Estates, expressed sympathy with the factory owner and called for enhanced safety measures. “There must be a dedicated fire and emergency vehicle stationed in the estate, covering both the industrial and peripheral areas. This tragedy could have been contained if we had such resources,” he said.
Bhat acknowledged the efforts of firefighters, administration and the police who managed to prevent further damage within the estate, which houses 56 active industrial units.
The local administration, including the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Sopore, S A Raina, and the General Manager of the District Industries Centre (DIC) Baramulla, Nighat, visited the site to assess the damage.
Raina visited the estates and assured all kinds of help from the administration for a fresh establishment of the unit. “This is not an individual loss but a collective one,” Raina said, pledging support for the factory’s revival.
Other industrialists called for improved fire safety infrastructure across all industrial estates in Kashmir. The fire has not only impacted the factory owner but also shaken the locals, as the factory was a symbol of resilience and success in the region, they said—(KNO)
