A fire that began in a mobile accessories shop at Delhi’s Gaffar Market spread through a four-storey commercial building early on November 6, prompting the deployment of 22 fire engines, additional water tankers and lighting equipment. No deaths or injuries had been reported in the available information, although the building suffered property damage.
The fire broke out at Puri Plaza in Chain Wali Gali, located in Block 13 of the Karol Bagh market. Delhi Police said a PCR call was received at 1:28 am reporting a fire in a building in the area. The station house officer and night-duty staff reached the location soon after, while fire services began operations at the site.
The affected property, identified as shop number 13/21 in a commercial building, housed a mobile accessories business. According to the initial information cited in the report, the fire started on the ground floor in an area where mobile batteries were stored and then spread to the upper floors. The building has a basement, a ground floor and three upper floors, making it a G+3 structure. The basement was reported to be safe.
Fire officials said the building had limited ventilation and only one staircase. Each floor had around 14 to 15 shops, including mobile accessories and crockery outlets. Deputy Chief Fire Officer M.K. Chattopadhyay told ANI that intense heat and continuing smoke were complicating firefighting operations. He said the response at the site included around 20 to 25 fire tenders, three CAT ambulances and two police response vehicles.
The initial fire-service deployment was reported as 22 fire engines, with extra tankers and lighting equipment sent to support the operation. Officials said the fire had begun in one or two shops on the ground floor before reaching the upper floors. The available report later said the fire had been extinguished, while officials also said a search operation would follow after the firefighting work was completed.
The precise cause of the fire has not been established. A preliminary assessment cited possible overheating or overcharging of batteries, but the fire department and the electrical inspector are expected to submit reports before the cause is confirmed. A Forensic Science Laboratory team will also examine whether other flammable materials were present in the building.
The incident has placed the building’s fire-safety and structural conditions under official scrutiny. A structural safety assessment or certificate is expected from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to determine whether the property poses any continuing risk. Authorities said further action would depend on the findings of the fire, electrical, forensic and structural assessments.
