A devastating fire tore through a cluster of shanties near the Matiala Fish Market in Uttam Nagar late Wednesday night, leaving hundreds of residents homeless and destroying their belongings. According to initial updates, nearly 400 huts were engulfed in flames as the blaze spread rapidly through the densely packed settlement. Residents said the fire broke out suddenly around midnight, giving families little time to save their possessions. Many rushed out of their homes in panic as thick smoke and flames consumed the shanties within minutes.
A local resident who lost everything in the blaze described the devastation caused by the fire. “I don’t know how the fire started. I had gone somewhere else at that time. My children had gone to the hospital, and I was not there. Everything I owned has been burned. All our belongings are gone...” the resident said. Several families living in the area said their homes and household items were completely destroyed, leaving them with nothing. The incident has left many residents distressed as they try to cope with the sudden loss of their homes and livelihoods.
Officials from the Delhi Fire Service said they received a call about the blaze at around 11.55 pm from the fish market area in Matiala. Soon after the alert, 23 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to control the flames. Firefighters worked through the night to contain the blaze, which had spread quickly due to the tightly packed huts and narrow lanes in the locality. Emergency teams faced challenges reaching some parts of the settlement as the fire continued to spread.
Preliminary reports suggest that several small shops at the fish market along with nearby huts were gutted in the blaze. Authorities said the exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined and an investigation will be carried out once the situation is fully under control. Officials are also assessing the extent of the damage and the number of families affected by the incident. Rescue teams continued cooling operations in the area to prevent the flames from reigniting.
The locality where the blaze occurred lies a few kilometres from an area that witnessed tension earlier this month following the killing of a 26-year-old man during Holi celebrations. However, officials have not indicated any connection between the two incidents. Police personnel were deployed in the area as a precaution while firefighters continued their operations. Authorities said further details about the cause of the fire and relief measures for affected residents will be announced after a detailed assessment.