Firefighters worked through the night to control a massive fire that destroyed over 50 shops in the densely packed Chandni Chowk area of north Delhi on Thursday. As of Friday, flames were still smoldering under some collapsed sections of buildings, and cooling operations are ongoing, news agency PTI quoted officials as saying.
The fire started in the Old Katra Marwadi Market of Chandni Chowk around 5 pm on Thursday. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported.
Atul Garg, the chief of Delhi Fire Services (DFS), stated that the fire was brought under control by 4:30 am. “Eight fire tenders have been deployed for the cooling operation. Over 50 fire tenders and 200 personnel worked through the night to control the blaze,” he added.
More than 50 shops, both small and large, were destroyed in the fire. Two buildings housing multiple shops, including the origin site of the fire, collapsed due to the blaze. Small fires continue to smolder among combustible items trapped under the debris, he added.
The affected shops primarily sold sarees, dupattas, and other flammable goods. Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) M K Meena stated that forensic and electricity departments will inspect the site once the cooling operations are complete. An FIR is being registered regarding the incident.
An initial investigation indicates that the fire started due to a short circuit in an air conditioner in a shop on the second floor of one of the buildings, quickly spreading to adjacent shops. Firefighters faced significant challenges in extinguishing the flames due to the interconnected nature of the shops within the narrow lanes of the Old Katra Marwadi Market.
Deepal Mahendru, president of the Nai Sadak Traders Welfare Association, mentioned that the number of damaged shops might increase to 100. He also mentioned the hesitation of the traders in entering their shops due to the intense heat.
After the cooling operation and inspection are completed, the losses can be calculated assuming it to be in crores, he added.