Massive Fire Engulfs Bhagirat Palace Market In Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk

On Thursday evening, at around 9 PM, a massive fire broke out in the Bhagirat Palace market of Chandini Chowk area of old Delhi.

Shopkeepers of the market told BOOM that around 150 shops were destroyed in the fire. However, they don't know the exact loss in the incident because firefighters are still in the cooling process job.

“Government is responsible for this fire because we have been continuously writing to authorities for underground wiring in old Delhi market, but every time our pleas go to deaf ears. They are only giving fake promises,” said the President of the shopkeeper association in Bhagirat Place.

Other shopkeepers and eyewitnesses told BOOM that renovation on the main Chandini Chowk road for two years made it difficult for fire service tanks to reach the spot on time.

“We broke the pillars they (the government) had placed on the middle of the road and only after firefighters got access. The delay resulted in more damage to the shops and stocks,” a shopkeeper said.

Currently, 22 fire tenders are engaged in the cooling process as the fire has been brought under control after over 12 hours, a fire department official told the press.

The Bhagirta Palace market is famous for dealing in electronic gadgets and fancy lights. The owners of the shops were looking distressed and were waiting for the cooling process to end so that they can estimate the economic loss due to the fire.