Properties worth Rs 1,699 crore saved, 23 personnel injured; June records highest – 1324 incidents, August lowest with 193; 99% of fire victims seek escape; ADGP Alok Kumar says, ‘We serve to save’

In 2024, Jammu and Kashmir received 6,752 fire calls, including 42 false alarms. There were 2,938 buildings affected, but the Fire and Emergency Department reported that property worth Rs 1,699 crore was saved.

The department said the main causes of fires were leaks from LPG, electrical overloads, short circuits and the increased use of heating devices.

According to details obtained from the F&ES Department, a total of 6,752 fire calls and 60 rescue calls were recorded throughout 2024, with 42 classified as false alarms.

Notably, 23 firefighters were injured during various operations across the valley. The data also revealed that 6,427 awareness programmes were conducted throughout the region by the end of November 2024, reaching 566,797 students, 50,713 teaching staff, 34,258 health employees, and 118,890 other participants, raising awareness about fire safety.

Alok Kumar (IPS), ADGP and Director of F&ES, J&K, said, “99% of people want to get out of their burning houses, while we can’t wait to get in to save lives. Fighting fires that threaten lives and safety is one of the most dangerous challenges we face. Our deep commitment to saving lives drives us forward. Every fire is a fierce battle, and every life we save reinforces our purpose.” He added, “We Serve to Save.”

The monthly breakdown of fire service statistics, from January to November, is as follows:

January: 858 fire calls, 1 rescue call, 1 false call, 3 personnel injured, 377 structures involved, and Rs 155 crore worth of property saved.

February: 382 fire calls, 5 rescue calls, 3 false calls, no injuries, 316 structures involved, and Rs 66 crore worth of property saved.

March: 328 fire calls, 1 rescue call, 4 false calls, no injuries, 225 structures involved, and Rs 66 crore worth of property saved.

April: 355 fire calls, 7 rescue calls, 8 false calls, 3 personnel injured, 197 structures involved, and Rs 543 crore worth of property saved.

May: 1,280 fire calls, 11 rescue calls, 5 false calls, 4 personnel injured, 281 structures involved, and Rs 136 crore worth of property saved.

June: 1,324 fire calls, 7 rescue calls, 4 false calls, 7 personnel injured, 308 structures involved, and Rs 160 crore worth of property saved.

July: 366 fire calls, 8 rescue calls, 3 false calls, 5 personnel injured, 230 structures involved, and Rs 131 crore worth of property saved.

August: 193 fire calls, 8 rescue calls, 1 false call, 1 personnel injured, 144 structures involved, and Rs 70 crore worth of property saved.

September: 209 fire calls, 3 rescue calls, 3 false calls, no injuries, 131 structures involved, and Rs 140 crore worth of property saved.

October: 646 fire calls, 1 rescue call, 5 false calls, no injuries, 404 structures involved, and Rs 99 crore worth of property saved.

November: 811 fire calls, 8 rescue calls, 5 false calls, no injuries, 325 structures involved, and Rs 28 crore worth of property saved.

The department conducted a total of 4,889 fire service audits during the year, with monthly breakdowns as: January: 446 audits, February: 441 audits, March: 453 audits, April: 410 audits, May: 509 audits, June: 440 audits, July: 527 audits, August: 494 audits, September: 333 audits, October: 394 audits and November: 442 audits.

The Fire & Emergency Services Department said it responded to 6,752 fire incidents from January to November 2024. These incidents resulted in the injury of 23 fire service personnel during operations