Several shops were gutted after a major fire broke out at a furniture market in northeast Delhi’s Shastri Park on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.
No casualties were reported in the incident, though visuals from the spot showed rows of shops completely reduced to ashes.
Tension erupted during the firefighting operation as angry locals allegedly pelted stones at fire tenders, accusing the authorities of delaying their response to the blaze. However, officials of the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) rejected the allegations.
Residents claimed that the fire tenders arrived nearly an hour after the blaze erupted, resulting in extensive financial losses for traders ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
“The fire broke out around 11.15 pm and the fire tenders arrived almost an hour later. We do not know how the fire started in two shops. The entire market has been destroyed and only around 20 shops are left. Everyone has suffered huge losses. This is our festival time,” a local resident told PTI.
The fire erupted in the furniture market near New Seelampur Metro Station and spread rapidly due to the presence of highly combustible materials such as wooden furniture and plywood.
The DFS classified the incident as a medium-category fire.
Refuting allegations of delay, a DFS official said the department received information about the fire at 11.57 pm and immediately dispatched fire tenders to the spot. He said nearly 25 to 26 fire tenders were deployed to contain the blaze.
During the operation, some members of the public allegedly hurled stones at firefighting teams, prompting the DFS to seek police assistance to continue the rescue and containment efforts.
