New Delhi

Following a massive fire in Karol Bagh's Gaffar Market, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday enquired about the situation at the shops across two buildings.

About 150 fire personnel, supported by 27 fire tenders, were deployed after reports of the blaze were received around 1:00 AM. Once the fire is completely extinguished, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will have both buildings evacuated, according to a press release. 

Mukesh Verma, Divisional Officer, Delhi Fire Service, said the department received information around 1:30 AM about a fire inside shops in Gali Chain Wali, Gaffar Market. Four fire tenders reached the spot immediately, and as the situation worsened, the incident was escalated to a "medium category" fire. The fire has been completely brought under control, and no casualties have been reported.

"Initial reports suggested the fire started in a shop dealing in batteries. From there, it gradually spread to the upper floors," Verma said. 

He said that with the festival season on, the shops were stocked with large quantities of goods, much of it highly flammable, which made firefighting difficult. "We observed a few fire extinguishers installed here, but the fire protection system required for a building of this nature was not present," he added.

Delhi Police has said that Prima facie, overheating or overcharging of batteries appears to be a possible cause of the fire. A report will be obtained from the Fire Department and Electrical Inspector to ascertain the exact cause. The building will also be examined by the FSL team to assess the presence of any other combustible material.

BJP MP Yogendra Chandolia called it a "very unfortunate incident" in which there was loss of property but no casualties. He said the fire broke out at 12:30 AM.

READ MORE: Five money-spending sprees Muslims can divert to community welfare

"During the festive season, this time is considered very important for every person. Our government will certainly discuss compensation in this matter, and an investigation will also be conducted into the cause of the fire," he said.

Praising the fire department, Chandolia said it prevented the blaze from spreading beyond "two, three or four buildings." "If the fire tenders had not arrived on time and the administration had not been present, the damage could have been much greater," he added.