Delhi fire: Around 200 labourers’ shelters gutted in blaze near Udyog Bhawan | VIDEO

New Delhi: A major fire swept through a cluster of temporary tin-shed dwellings occupied by labourers near Udyog Bhawan in New Delhi during the early hours of Wednesday, destroying around 200 structures, according to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS).

The DFS said it received an emergency call at 3.02am reporting a fire in an electrical panel near the labourers’ settlement close to Udyog Bhawan. The flames spread rapidly through the tightly packed accommodation, triggering a large-scale firefighting operation.

Initially, two fire engines were dispatched to the scene. However, as the extent of the blaze became clear, the response was significantly expanded, with 19 firefighting vehicles, including water tenders, water bowsers and specialised units, deployed to tackle the fire.

Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by approximately 5.30am. Officials said the affected area comprised around 200 temporary labourers’ shelters, and several LPG cylinders were also involved in the incident.

Despite the scale of the fire, no injuries or fatalities were reported.

The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined and investigations are under way.

The incident occurred near Udyog Bhawan, where demolition work has recently begun as part of the Central Government’s wider Central Vista redevelopment project. Built in the late 1950s, Udyog Bhawan is one of the capital’s prominent government office complexes. Its dismantling follows the demolition of the neighbouring Nirman Bhawan as redevelopment efforts continue in the area.

(PTI)