Fire breaks out in building in Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk hours after Vivek Vihar tragedy

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like A fire broke out on the first floor of a building in the Chawri Bazaar area of north Delhi’s Chandni Chowk on Sunday evening, officials said. According to the Delhi Fire Services, the affected floor is suspected to have residential flats (Unsplash)According to the Delhi Fire Services, the affected floor is suspected to have residential flats, PTI reported. "We received a call at 9.07 pm regarding the blaze. Five fire tenders were rushed to the spot," a fire official said. The building is located adjacent to Gujarat Namkeen Bhandar, a sweet shop in Chandni Chowk, the official added. No casualties or injuries have been reported so far, and rescue operations are underway, he said. Also Read | What caused the massive fire in East Delhi's Vivek Vihar that killed 9 The fire incident in Chandni Chowk comes hours after nine people, including a 1.5-year-old toddler, lost their lives after a massive fire broke out in a residential building in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar in the early hours of Sunday. Nearly 20 others were rescued by firefighters. Delhi Fire Services officials said they received a call about the blaze at 3:47 am and rushed multiple teams to the spot. A total of 14 fire tenders were deployed, with rescue operations underway by 5 am. Officials said the fire initially caught household items and quickly spread to at least six flats. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva told reporters the fire may have started due to sparks in an AC unit. "The fire services received the first call at 3:45am, and the first fire brigade reached the spot at 3:52 am. About 14 fire tenders were deployed, and 20 people have been saved by authorities," he added. As the flames spread rapidly and residents attempted to escape, the terrace door was found shut, blocking another exit route, Sachdeva said. BJP MLA Sanjay Goel said a short circuit was being seen as the likely cause. "A short circuit is said to be the main cause behind this incident. However, some are saying it happened because of a blast in the AC." A suspected short circuit in an AC on the second floor is believed to be the source of the blaze. A family of five died in the fire on that floor. An investigation into this incident is underway.