A massive godown fire in Vasundhara Enclave, East Delhi, sent thick black smoke across the neighbourhood on Sunday, forcing residents of nearby houses to evacuate as more than 25 fire tenders and up to 100 personnel battled the blaze for seven hours.
The fire broke out at a godown near Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital. The hospital said its premises and operations were unaffected and that all patients were safe. “There is no requirement to shift or evacuate any patient,” the hospital said in a statement.
The smoke plume was visible from more than 10 kilometres away, while flames rose above the godown and smoke entered several nearby homes, residents said. Police cordoned off the area as emergency teams worked to contain the fire. The blaze was brought under control after seven hours, but had not been completely extinguished late at night.
The godown occupied an 800-square-yard plot and had been rented to three people. A fire services officer said the structure was weak and collapsed in the middle, making it difficult for crews to reach the burning material. “We can only reach the blaze from the front. So, we have to clear the fallen debris to extinguish the flames,” the officer said.
A firefighter, Sunil Sagar, was taken to another hospital for treatment after suffering smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported in the account. Workers at the godown initially tried to control the flames with water and a fire extinguisher, but retreated after the fire intensified.
Md Sahil, 20, who was loading scrap into a truck, said workers abandoned their effort as conditions worsened. Residents also entered the area to retrieve items from the premises. Rakesh Kashyap, 38, said people managed to remove some plywood and other material, although most of the stored goods were believed to have been destroyed.
The incident has renewed concern among residents about godowns and scrap-related businesses operating in a densely populated locality. Mohit, who lives near the site, said a fire had occurred at the same location in 2016, although police said they were not aware of such an incident. Ramvir Singh, another resident living next to the godown, said smoke filled several houses as the fire spread.
The fire services operation continued after the main blaze was brought under control because crews had to clear collapsed debris and reach remaining pockets of fire. Police and fire officials had not publicly identified the cause of the incident by late Sunday night.
