Hundreds of slum houses gutted in major fire in Indian capital

A major fire erupted late Wednesday night at a fish market in Matiala village, located in Uttam Nagar in Delhi, after vendors had begun packing up their stalls for the day. The blaze, which reportedly started around 11:50 pm, spread rapidly and soon reached nearby slum settlements, putting hundreds of homes at risk.

Residents in the area noticed thick smoke and immediately alerted the Delhi Fire Service. Firefighters rushed to the location and worked for several hours overnight to contain the flames. Authorities said the fire was eventually brought under control at around 3:45 am on Thursday, though many families suffered significant damage to their homes and livelihoods.

Officials from the Delhi Fire Service stated that approximately 300 to 400 slum dwellings were destroyed in the incident. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Around 23 fire engines were deployed to tackle the blaze after emergency teams received the alert shortly before midnight.

Fortunately, no casualties or injuries have been reported so far. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine how the fire started.

In a separate incident early Thursday morning, another blaze broke out on the third floor of a private company building in the Phase 2 police station jurisdiction in Noida. Fire officials said seven fire engines were dispatched to the site and managed to bring the fire under control.

Officials confirmed that there were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities in the Noida incident. Police officers and relevant authorities have visited the scene and begun inquiries into the cause of the fire.

Meanwhile, another fire was reported late Tuesday night in the Raiganj area of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, where several clothing stores were engulfed by flames.