Two houseboats gutted in Srinagar’s Nigeen Lake fire

Srinagar: Two houseboats were completely damaged in a fire incident in famous Nigeen Lake in the summer capital, Srinagar.

Official sources said that fire broke out in a houseboat in the intervening night of Sunday and Monday at Nigeen Lake. “Fire tenders were rushed to douse off the leaping flames, clearly visible from a distance,” they said.

However, they said two houseboats — Houseboat New Perfume Garden and Houseboat Phoenix — located at Saderbal side of Nageen Lake were completely damaged. 

They said no tourist was staying in the houseboat at the time of the incident.

Meanwhile, the locals alleged that the houseboats couldn’t be saved due to non-availability of fire tenders in Nigeen and Dal Lake. “Houseboat owners have demanded special firefighters in Nigeen Lake and Dal Lake but no one was listening. Government is only shedding crocodile tears. Houseboats need fire tender in motor boats that can come quickly and help extinguish the fire,” the locals said.

In 2017, three houseboats were gutted in Nigeen Lake while in 2018 three more houseboats were damaged in Dal Lake.