Massive fire engulfs Delhi furniture market; locals allegedly pelt stones at fire tenders

NEW DELHI: Fire tenders sent to tackle a massive blaze at a furniture market in Delhi’s Shastri Park were allegedly pelted with stones late Friday night after angry locals complained that too few, reportedly two, firefighting vehicles had initially reached the spot, according to news agency ANI.

The fire, which broke out in a market packed with wooden furniture and plywood shops, was later brought under control after authorities deployed around 25 to 30 fire tenders to the area. No casualties were reported.

According to officials, the Delhi Fire Service received a call about the blaze at 11.57pm Initial firefighting teams were rushed to the market, but residents allegedly grew agitated after seeing only a limited response in the early stages as the flames spread rapidly through the highly flammable material stored in the area.

Some locals allegedly began pelting stones at fire tenders and emergency personnel amid fears that the blaze would engulf more shops in the densely packed market.

Deputy chief fire officer DB Mukherjee said the fire was later categorised as a “major” incident because of the scale of the blaze and the combustible nature of the market.

“The Fire Control Room received information at 11.57pm. Initially, a standard response was dispatched, but given the presence of highly flammable material such as wooden furniture and plywood, the incident was upgraded. Around 25 to 30 fire tenders were eventually deployed and the fire is now under control,” he said.

Officials said the narrow lanes and dense commercial setup of the Shastri Park furniture market made firefighting operations difficult as flames spread across a large section of the area.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined. Fire officials said Delhi Police would investigate the incident, while a team from the Forensic Science Laboratory also visited the spot to assess the damage and examine the site.(With ANI inputs)