Karol Bagh Fire on Dhanteras: Over 20 Fire Engines Battle Blaze at Gaffar Market Building
A fire broke out in a four-storey commercial building in Gaffar Market in Delhi's Karol Bagh area in the early hours of Friday, just days before Diwali and on the day of Dhanteras, prompting a large-scale emergency response.
Around 20 to 25 fire engines were rushed to the spot to bring the blaze under control. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far, police said.
According to Delhi Police, a call to the Police Control Room was received at Karol Bagh Police Station at about 1.28 am, reporting a fire in Chain Wali Gali. Police personnel, including the Station House Officer and night staff, reached the spot and found the fire at Shop No. 13/21 in Puri Plaza, a four-storey commercial building whose shops deal in mobile accessories.
Preliminary information suggests that the fire originated in a ground-floor shop where mobile phone batteries were stored, and then spread to the other floors of the building.
Three CAT ambulances and two PCR vehicles were also deployed at the site alongside the fire engines. The blaze has been extinguished, and while property has been damaged, no loss of life or injury has been reported.
Police suspect that overheating or overcharging of batteries may have triggered the fire, but stress that the exact cause has not yet been established. A detailed report will be sought from the Fire Department and the Electrical Inspector.
A Forensic Science Laboratory team will also examine the building to determine whether any other combustible material contributed to the spread of the fire. Further action will be taken on the basis of the investigation's findings. Police will also obtain a structural safety assessment or certificate from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to rule out any threat to human life.
The situation at the spot is under control, and police personnel are maintaining law and order in the area.
The incident comes at a time of heightened concern about fire safety. Dhanteras and Diwali are among the busiest periods for markets in the national capital, with shoppers thronging crowded commercial areas late into the evening. Densely packed market zones such as Karol Bagh and parts of the Walled City have seen fires in the past, and fire officials have previously identified electrical faults, overloaded wiring and the storage of combustible goods in congested premises as recurring risks.
Authorities routinely advise shopkeepers during the festival season to have electrical wiring checked, avoid overloading circuits, store inflammable material safely and keep escape routes and fire exits clear. Residents and shoppers in the area are advised to follow instructions issued by local authorities and emergency services.
In its response to Friday's incident, the Fire Department has not yet commented on the scale of the damage. Police said the picture would become clearer after the fire and electrical inspection reports are submitted.
