A fire broke out at an NDMC junkyard beneath the Safdarjung flyover in the early hours of Monday, spreading across about 1,000 square metres and prompting the civic body’s chairman to seek details of the officials responsible for the site.
According to officials, the blaze spread rapidly after discarded flex banners caught fire at the location. The flames then engulfed materials stored in the open area of the New Delhi Municipal Council’s enforcement department godown beneath the flyover.
Eight fire tenders were deployed to douse the blaze at the NDMC storage site. The incident occurred months after a similar fire was reported at the same location in February, bringing renewed attention to the way discarded material and civic department supplies are stored there.
The recurrence has raised questions within the civic body over the management and safety of materials kept in the open. Officials said the NDMC chairman has sought details of the officer in charge of the store, as well as information on the departments and personnel using the facility.
The site’s location beneath the Safdarjung flyover adds to the public-safety implications of the incident. The storage area is part of civic operations, but the fire involved combustible discarded material, including flex banners, which officials said helped the blaze spread quickly.
NDMC officials said the chairman questioned why fires had recurred at the same site and sought accountability for the conditions that allowed the incident to take place. Strict action is expected, according to civic body officials.
The latest fire has placed the storage arrangements at the enforcement department godown under scrutiny. The immediate administrative steps expected from the NDMC include identifying the official responsible for the store and examining the use and storage of materials at the site.
