A devastating fire ripped through Delhi’s Nature Bazaar at Andheria Mor early Sunday, annihilating more than 50 shops and leaving traders reeling from massive losses. The handicraft hub, popular among locals and tourists, turned into a raging inferno around 6:30 AM, prompting an immediate emergency response.
As news spread, affected shopkeepers hurried to the scene, their livelihoods in ruins. One vendor shared, ‘I got a call from a neighbor saying smoke was billowing everywhere. By the time we arrived, half the market was gone.’ Fire services were alerted shortly after 7:30 AM, with the first tender from Vasant Kunj arriving promptly to combat the flames.
Leading the operation, Fire Officer Manish Sherawat reported a coordinated effort from several stations. ‘The fire is fully extinguished now, and miraculously, there were no injuries,’ he said. Damage estimates remain preliminary, but the scale suggests significant financial blow to small business owners.
Delhi’s fire-prone markets have seen a spate of such tragedies recently. On March 11 in Bindapur, 80 shanties burned down despite 28 tenders working through the night. Mansaram Park faced a similar scare on March 7, doused by eight vehicles without casualties. Experts call for stricter fire safety audits as these events highlight vulnerabilities in informal trading zones.