A series of three commercial fires broke out across Delhi on Friday, stretching the city's emergency response capabilities and prompting a significant deployment of fire tenders. The most intense incident occurred at the Gaffar Market in Karol Bagh, where a blaze engulfed a four-storey building, requiring 22 fire tenders to bring the situation under control.
According to police reports, the Karol Bagh fire originated at a mobile accessories shop in Puri Plaza at approximately 1:28 am. Authorities suspect that the fire may have started on the ground floor, where a large quantity of mobile batteries was stored, before rapidly spreading to the floors above. Investigators are currently looking into the possibility that overheating or overcharging of the batteries triggered the event. Local law enforcement, alongside the Delhi Fire Services and electrical inspectors, are conducting a thorough investigation to confirm the exact cause and assess the full extent of the property damage.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) stated that the building, which includes a basement, ground floor, and three upper levels, held an approved building plan from 2005. Officials confirmed there were no recent complaints lodged regarding electrical wiring or fire safety hazards at the premises. In the wake of the incident, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has formally requested that authorities ensure 24-hour deployment of fire services at 20 major markets until the festival of Bhai Dooj on November 11. The traders' body has also proposed the creation of a dedicated fire disaster fund to support small business owners affected by such emergencies.
Later in the day, a second significant fire occurred at a Kia showroom near Saket Metro station around 3:45 pm. Emergency responders, including five fire tenders and six ambulances, were dispatched to the site. The District Deputy Commissioner of Police noted that responders successfully rescued 12 to 15 people who had been stranded on the building's rooftop, while four additional individuals were evacuated through the rear exit. Two women were hospitalised for smoke inhalation and remain in stable condition. Authorities reported that six vehicles within the showroom were also damaged during the blaze.
The third incident was reported earlier in the morning at a garment lace shop in the Shanti Mohalla area of New Azadpur at approximately 8:40 am. Sixteen fire tenders were required to contain the fire, which was brought under control by the afternoon. Local market representatives suggested that a short circuit might have caused the incident. As the shop was closed at the time the fire erupted, no injuries were reported from this location.
While no fatalities were recorded across the three incidents, the authorities are conducting extensive reviews. This includes a structural safety assessment of the Gaffar Market building by the MCD and forensic examinations of the premises to identify any additional combustible materials that may have contributed to the rapid spread of the fires. The reports from the Delhi Fire Services and electrical inspectors are expected to provide further clarity on the safety protocols and maintenance failures that might have led to these disruptive events.
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