A massive fire broke out at a mobile accessories shop in Delhi's Gaffar Market in the early hours of Friday, engulfing a four-storey commercial building and causing extensive damage to property. No casualties or injuries have been reported.
Around 22 fire tenders, three Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) ambulances and two PCR vehicles were rushed to the spot to contain the blaze, police said.
The fire was reported at Puri Plaza at 1.28 am, following which a PCR call was received at Karol Bagh police station. Police personnel who reached the spot found the fire at shop number 13/21, which houses businesses dealing in mobile accessories.
According to police, the fire is suspected to have originated in a ground-floor shop where mobile batteries were stored before spreading to the upper floors of the building.
Preliminary findings suggest that overheating or overcharging of batteries could have triggered the fire. However, the exact cause will be established after a detailed investigation, police said.
The blaze was brought under control after several hours of firefighting. A report will be sought from the Delhi Fire Service and the Electrical Inspector to ascertain the cause of the incident.
A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team will also examine the premises to determine whether other combustible materials were stored inside the building. Police will initiate further action based on the findings.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will also be asked to conduct a structural safety assessment to rule out any risk to human life. Police personnel have been deployed at the site to maintain law and order, officials said.
(With inuputs from PTI)
