New Delhi: A major fire broke out in a labour settlement near Udyog Bhawan in central Delhi early Wednesday after an electrical panel caught fire, with flames quickly spreading to nearby temporary structures, officials said.
According to the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), around 20 fire tenders were deployed to the site to contain the blaze. Firefighters succeeded in surrounding the fire by 5.10 am, and an “under control” message was issued at 5.30 am.
Officials said the fire originated in an electrical panel before spreading to temporary labour accommodation in the area. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far.
Authorities are yet to assess the full extent of the damage, and further details are awaited.
The incident comes just days after a massive fire swept through a cluster of slums behind Maulana Azad Medical College in Delhi’s Balmiki Basti area of Takia Kale Khan late on Monday night.
According to the Delhi Fire Service, the fire control room received information about the blaze at around 11.22 pm, following which firefighting teams were immediately dispatched. Initially, seven to eight fire tenders were sent to the spot, but as the intensity of the fire increased, the number was raised to 24.
Delhi Fire Service Divisional Officer Mukesh Verma said the fire at Takia Kale Khan was eventually brought under control and that no casualties had been reported based on preliminary information.
Verma noted that the affected area comprised residential slums as well as storage facilities, including plywood storage units. The presence of large quantities of wooden material and temporary structures contributed to the rapid spread of the flames, he said.
