Fire engulfs part of Bhagirath Palace market in Delhi

A fire broke out at the popular Bhagirath Palace market in Chandni Chowk late on Thursday night, with at least 30 tenders pressed into service to douse the blaze

A fire broke out at the popular Bhagirath Palace market in Chandni Chowk late on Thursday night, with at least 30 tenders pressed into service to douse the blaze. No deaths or injuries were reported till the time of going to press, said Delhi fire officials, adding that the cause of the inferno was still unknown.

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Delhi’s fire control room said they received a call reporting the incident at around 9.20pm, with senior officials categorising the blaze as “serious”.

“We have not received reports of any casualties. The fire spread quickly. Initially it was tagged as a ‘medium’ category fire. It was later upgraded to ‘serious’. A portion of a building in one of the lanes, where the fire started, also collapsed. Our officers are at the spot. The process to douse the fire is on,” said an official at the fire control room.

Initially, 25 fire tenders were sent to the spot, but five more were dispatched within an hour. By 10pm, the fire engulfed at least four buildings, said officials.

The congested Bhagirath Palace is one the city’s biggest markets for electrical goods.

“The area is characterised by narrow lanes and is dotted with shops and eateries. Officials are facing a challenge in the fire-fighting process. Fire tenders are being parked on the main road and the water hose is being dragged into the lanes where the fire started,” said a senior Delhi fire officer.