Bandipora, Nov 10: An Army officer of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel died when a fire broke out in a camp in Bandipora district. The incident occurred late last night at the Special Forces camp in the Sunerwani area.
“A colonel died in the fire which gutted a barrack in north Kashmir. A probe has revealed that the fire was triggered by an electrical short-circuit at around 2 a.m.,” Lieutenant Colonel JS Brar, spokesperson of Army’s Srinagar-based 15th Corps, told IANS.
Seven barracks comprising of 22 rooms in 9 Para Camp were destroyed in the fire. The killed officer has been identified as Lt. Colonel Saran Apte of Gujarat.
Officials said the other Army personnel in the camp are safe as the immediate arrival of fire tenders prevented the spread of blaze.
Higher officers of the Army including counter-insurgency Kilo Force Deputy GOC Sanjay Thapa and Brigadier 5 Sector G P Mathew visited the spot.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 10 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 10 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 11 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST