Dal Lake fire kills three Bangladeshi tourists, leaves trail of destruction

The fire broke out in the tourist hub of the Dal Lake early Saturday, destroying property worth crores of rupees. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Srinagar: Three tourists from Bangladesh died after a massive fire broke out in several houseboats inside Dal Lake in Srinagar on Saturday.

The fire broke out near Ghat number 9 of Dal Lake at around 5:15 am engulfing other houseboats quickly, reports said. Several houseboats were reduced to ashes in no time.

Police later said that three charred bodies of tourists from Bangladesh were found near Ghat No 9, who were staying at the Safeena houseboat that was also destroyed in the fire.

"Some five to eight houseboats and huts were gutted in the fire. We are identifying the source of fire,” said Farooq Ahmad, station house officer, fire service.

As many as five houseboats and an equal number of huts attached to them were gutted. According to officials, property worth crores of rupees was destroyed in the fire.

Colourful houseboats in Dal Lake are prime attractions for every tourist who visits Kashmir. The origins of the city’s houseboats stretch back to the days of the British Raj.

The British enjoyed traveling to Kashmir in the summer months to escape the heat and dust of the Indian plains, but the local Hindu maharaja denied them permission to own land, resulting in the mushrooming of houseboats.