Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: A massive fire broke out at Dilli Haat, a popular open market in south Delhi, on Wednesday evening. There were no human casualties but several stalls were gutted and goods worth crores of rupees were lost.
Delhi Fire Service received a call at 8.55pm, upon which 15 fire tenders were sent to the spot at INA Market. Police also rushed there. A massive plume of thick smoke billowed into the sky, entrancing the people who shared photos and videos on social media. According to a fire officer, the blaze spread quickly due to the presence of ample combustible material.
Stalls that were gutted include the ones of Kashmiri businesses selling pashmina shawls.
The market, which hosts craftspeople from across the country and offers cuisines from different states of India, is learnt to have suffered a huge loss. “Around 30 stalls have been reduced to ashes. Firemen are still trying to extinguish the remaining flames,” said a shopkeeper who broke down while talking about the huge loss he had incurred.
Altaf, a worker at a handicraft shop, recounted the terrifying moment when he first learnt of the blaze. He said he was packing up for the day when he suddenly heard people screaming about a fire. “Initially I thought it was a minor blaze, but within moments, large flames erupted and panic spread everywhere,” he said, adding that there was chaos and devastation.
Mohit also gave his account, describing the situation as “horrific”. He learnt that the fire started near Gate No. 2 and quickly spread. “There were still many people in the market at the time. The wind made things worse,” said Mohit. He said that emergency services arrived, but the fire had already caused extensive damage by then.
Around 80 firefighters were deployed to tackle the massive blaze. Due to the intensity of the fire and chaos at the entrance, the fire teams had to enter from the rear of the market. “We began dousing the flames from four to five different spots,” a fire officer revealed. “The wind was a major hindrance to our operations, pushing the flames further and faster than expected.”
The officer also pointed out that the area contained a significant amount of combustible material such as wood, cloth and plastic which acted as fuel and intensified the fire. The officer, however, gave the happy news that nobody had suffered injuries. “The blaze was controlled within an hour. The scale of loss of property will be determined after the cooling operation gets over,” he said.
Chief minister Rekha Gupta said the fire at Dilli Haat was “unfortunate” but was grateful that the teams of firefighters had brought the inferno under control. “No casualties have been reported so far. We are closely monitoring the situation and ensuring all necessary assistance to those affected,” she posted on social media platform X.
Dilli Haat is a popular paid-entry, open-air market and craft bazaar in south Delhi, managed by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation. Spread over six acres across the road from INA Market, the crafts and cuisine complex features thatched cottages and kiosks that evoke a village atmosphere. While some shops are permanent, others crop up at various times of the year. In Sept 2019, a fire had broken out late at night at the market. Around a dozen fire tenders brought the blaze under control in about an hour.
Delhi Fire Service received a call at 8.55pm, upon which 15 fire tenders were sent to the spot at INA Market. Police also rushed there. A massive plume of thick smoke billowed into the sky, entrancing the people who shared photos and videos on social media. According to a fire officer, the blaze spread quickly due to the presence of ample combustible material.
Stalls that were gutted include the ones of Kashmiri businesses selling pashmina shawls.
The market, which hosts craftspeople from across the country and offers cuisines from different states of India, is learnt to have suffered a huge loss. “Around 30 stalls have been reduced to ashes. Firemen are still trying to extinguish the remaining flames,” said a shopkeeper who broke down while talking about the huge loss he had incurred.
Altaf, a worker at a handicraft shop, recounted the terrifying moment when he first learnt of the blaze. He said he was packing up for the day when he suddenly heard people screaming about a fire. “Initially I thought it was a minor blaze, but within moments, large flames erupted and panic spread everywhere,” he said, adding that there was chaos and devastation.
Mohit also gave his account, describing the situation as “horrific”. He learnt that the fire started near Gate No. 2 and quickly spread. “There were still many people in the market at the time. The wind made things worse,” said Mohit. He said that emergency services arrived, but the fire had already caused extensive damage by then.
Around 80 firefighters were deployed to tackle the massive blaze. Due to the intensity of the fire and chaos at the entrance, the fire teams had to enter from the rear of the market. “We began dousing the flames from four to five different spots,” a fire officer revealed. “The wind was a major hindrance to our operations, pushing the flames further and faster than expected.”
The officer also pointed out that the area contained a significant amount of combustible material such as wood, cloth and plastic which acted as fuel and intensified the fire. The officer, however, gave the happy news that nobody had suffered injuries. “The blaze was controlled within an hour. The scale of loss of property will be determined after the cooling operation gets over,” he said.
Chief minister Rekha Gupta said the fire at Dilli Haat was “unfortunate” but was grateful that the teams of firefighters had brought the inferno under control. “No casualties have been reported so far. We are closely monitoring the situation and ensuring all necessary assistance to those affected,” she posted on social media platform X.
Dilli Haat is a popular paid-entry, open-air market and craft bazaar in south Delhi, managed by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation. Spread over six acres across the road from INA Market, the crafts and cuisine complex features thatched cottages and kiosks that evoke a village atmosphere. While some shops are permanent, others crop up at various times of the year. In Sept 2019, a fire had broken out late at night at the market. Around a dozen fire tenders brought the blaze under control in about an hour.
Mayank Rawat
