New Delhi: A massive fire broke out in the cloth market area of Seelampur in northeast Delhi on Sunday evening, engulfing a four-storey commercial building housing garment showrooms and small-scale manufacturing units. More than 30 fire tenders were rushed to the spot as firefighters battled to bring the blaze under control.
According to Delhi Fire Service officials, a distress call was received at 4:22 PM. Initially, five fire engines were deployed, but as the intensity of the blaze became evident, the operation was escalated to a higher category response. Officials confirmed that over 30 fire tenders are currently engaged in firefighting operations.
Preliminary information suggests that the fire may have originated from a short circuit in an electric scooter that was being charged inside a narrow gallery of the building. The flames quickly spread through the structure, which contained large quantities of highly combustible cloth material, allowing the fire to intensify rapidly.
The ground floor of the building housed garment showrooms, while upper floors were used for cloth production and small job-work factories. At the time of the incident, around 15–20 workers were reportedly present inside the premises. However, all individuals managed to evacuate safely before the fire spread to the upper levels. No casualties have been reported so far.
Fire officials stated that narrow and congested access roads significantly hampered firefighting efforts. Vehicles parked along both sides of the lane made it difficult for fire engines to reach the site, forcing crews to proceed one by one. Firefighters also had to break open shutters and cut locks of multiple shops to prevent the blaze from spreading further.
“Currently, our priority is to ensure the fire does not spread to adjacent buildings. The market is densely packed with shops containing combustible material, so extinguishing operations may take several more hours,” a senior fire officer said.
While nearly half of the fire has been brought under control, flames continue to rage in the rear section of the building. Officials are assessing the extent of property damage, which is believed to be substantial, with most of the structure reportedly gutted.
Authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
