5 shops in Vasant Vihar gutted in huge blaze; no casualties reported

A major fire broke out in a market complex in Vasant Vihar, south Delhi, early on Saturday, gutting five shops and a kiosk, Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officials said, adding that no injuries were reported in the incident.

DFS chief Atul Garg said that the fire at C block, Vasant Vihar, was reported around 5am, following which ten fire tenders were promptly pressed into service. The affected shops were spread across three floors, added Garg.

“At least five shops have been completely damaged. The building comprised ground, mezzanine, and first floor,” Garg said. The fire was brought under control by 7.50 am, followed by cooling operations, said Garg, adding that the exact cause of the blaze was yet to be determined.

Deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Rohit Meena said that police reached the spot at 5.12am after the incident was reported to them. Preliminary inquiry revealed that all the shops were shut and the fire had broken out due to a short circuit in a grocery store before it spread to the other adjacent shops, said police.

A police officer aware of the matter said that along with the five affected shops, a small kiosk outside was also damaged. He added that fire tenders took around six to seven hours to completely douse the flames. “We do not suspect any foul play in this incident, and no such complaints have been received so far,” the officer said.

Vasant Vihar residents welfare association president Gurpreet Bindra, who lives close to the market, said the fire started around 4.30am, and he reached the site by 6am. “Among the five affected shops, two were grocery stores, one was a hardware store, one was a glass shop, and the fifth was a clothing shop, all situated on the ground floor,” Bindra said.

Bindra, a resident of the area since 2003, said that was the first time a fire broke out in this complex, which houses various establishments, including restaurants, cafes, chemists, apparel shops, coffee shops, bookstores, and banks.

“The fire is suspected to have started from one of the grocery stores. There was no one inside. The reason is unknown, but it may have originated from an electrical cause. Many fires are being reported in the Capital due to this unprecedented heatwave,” Bindra said.

Smouldering continues in Chandni Chowk

Three days after a massive fire broke out in the Marwari Katra market, Nai Sadak, Chandni Chowk, firefighters continued the cooling operations on Saturday.

Three fire tenders were working on the site on Saturday, fire department officials aware of the matter said. To be sure, nobody was killed or injured in the fire.

Garg said that the blaze was brought under control by 1am on Friday, but small pockets of fire were still spotted throughout the day. “As of Saturday, smouldering continued as material on the ground caught fire after coming in contact with the air,” he added.

On Friday, eight fire tenders were working at the site. The blaze started around 5pm on Thursday.

Mohammed Rahil, 33, a worker at a shop adjacent to the Marwadi Katra that collapsed in the fire, said that shopkeepers in the area were forced to keep their establishments shut for the second day in a row as there was no power in the area. “I do not think electricity will be restored for another day or two. People who vacated their houses have also not come back yet. It will take a few days for normalcy to return,” he said.

According to the police and market association, about 50 to 60 shops were completely gutted and another 120 establishments were impacted. Nearly 200 firefighters continued their operations round the clock till Friday morning, after which the number reduced.

The Marwari Katra market, which comprised two buildings, collapsed to the ground in the early hours of Friday. The shops and houses in the buildings adjacent to it were spared from the blaze. People vacated their premises and moved to safer locations, officers added. Traders said that their losses ran into crores after their shops were gutted in the fire.