Kupwara midnight fire damages seven buses, probe underway

By Aatif Qayoom
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11 Apr 2026

Kupwara, Apr 09: Several passenger buses worth crores of rupees were gutted in a devastating overnight fire that broke out at a bus stand in the Man Town area of Kupwara late Wednesday night, triggering panic and heavy losses for local transporters.

Reports said five buses were completely destroyed, while two others suffered partial damage in the incident. The damaged vehicles included JK09-3456 owned by Bashir Ahmad, JK09-5678 owned by Ghulam Nabi, JK09-7890 owned by Abdul Rashid, JK09-1122 owned by Mohammad Yousuf, and JK09-3344 owned by Farooq Ahmad. Partially damaged buses included JK09-5566 owned by Javed Ahmad and JK09-7788 owned by Imtiyaz Ahmad.

Eyewitnesses said the fire erupted around midnight and spread rapidly among the parked buses. Within minutes, flames intensified and engulfed several vehicles, sending thick plumes of smoke into the night sky. The sudden blaze created panic in the locality.

Local residents living nearby rushed to the spot and made efforts to douse the flames using available means. Soon after, fire and emergency services teams reached the site, accompanied by police and other civil administration officials.

After sustained efforts, the responders managed to bring the fire under control and prevented it from spreading further. However, by the time the blaze was contained, multiple buses had already been reduced to charred remains.

The incident has sent shockwaves among the bus owners, many of whom have suffered significant financial losses. Some said the destroyed vehicles were their only source of livelihood, leaving them distressed.

Police officials said they have taken cognisance of the incident and are ascertaining the facts to determine the exact cause of the fire. Further investigation is underway.