A massive fire swept through the popular Dilli Haat in Delhi, destroying 30 shops and causing losses to traders worth crores. The blaze was brought under control and no casualties were reported.
A massive fire broke out at the popular Dilli Haat in south Delhi's INA on Wednesday night and 30 shops were gutted in the blaze, officials said. No casualties were reported in the incident and the fire was brought under control, according to the Delhi Fire Services.
At least 14 fire tenders were rushed to the spot after the fire department received a distress call around 8.55 pm, it said. Traders said the fire was caused due to short circuit.
The fire started in the shops built on the stage at the rear of Dilli Haat. The blaze spread so quickly that many shops built on the stage were reduced to ashes in a few minutes.
Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg, in a statement, said, "We received a call regarding a fire at the Dilli Haat Market at 8.55 pm, and 14 fire engines were rushed to the spot. A total of 30 shops were gutted. The fire has been extinguished, and no injuries were reported."
Most of the shops built on the stage that caught fire were selling clothes, jewellery and antiques, among others. A large number of these shops were run by people who had come from Jammu and Kashmir to earn their livelihood.
While one of the shop owners claimed that goods worth at least Rs 10 crore have been destroyed, another, Shauket Ahmed, said that he alone suffered a loss of at least Rs 1.5 crore.
"We don't know how the fire broke out, but we could not save anything," he said.
The owner of shop no. 4 said, "I have lost my entire life’s savings. We had set up this stall by taking a loan... Everything we earned over the years is gone."
Talking to a news agency some shopkeepers claimed that there were no proper fire safety arrangements in place at the market.
Vijai Kumar, who sells Madhubani paintings, said the fire spread rapidly due to the lack of firefighting equipment like fire extinguishers.
"It took the fire brigade nearly one and a half hours to reach. There were no adequate arrangements in place to help us respond to such an emergency," Kumar said.
Dilli Haat is famous for handicraft items, which are popular across the country.
After hearing the news of the fire, Delhi Arts Minister Kapil Mishra reached the spot and said the fire was brought under control.
"The fire at Dilli Haat has been brought under control. There are no reports of any casualties in the fire. The fire department and administration are present at the spot. I am going to Dilli Haat," he tweeted.
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