A massive fire broke out at a Kia car showroom in south Delhi’s Saidulajab area on Friday afternoon, gutting several vehicles and leaving seven people injured.
Emergency agencies rescued around 12 to 15 people trapped inside the building after launching an extensive firefighting and evacuation operation.
The blaze, which broke out at a showroom located opposite Saket Metro station on MG Road, sent thick columns of black smoke billowing into the sky, visible from several kilometres away.
Several cars parked inside the premises were engulfed in flames as the fire spread through the building. According to officials, the Delhi Fire Services received a call about the incident at around 3.47 pm, following which 10 fire tenders were immediately dispatched to the location.
Delhi Police personnel, fire officials and other emergency response teams were also mobilised.
Deputy Magistrate Lakshya Singhal said seven people sustained injuries in the incident. Of them, four were taken to Max Hospital, while three others were admitted to Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital for treatment.
Rescue teams rescued around 12 to 15 people from the building during the operation. Rescue teams used ladders placed against adjoining buildings to evacuate people stranded on the upper floors.
Residents also joined the rescue efforts, helping emergency personnel bring those trapped inside to safety.
Singhal said the fire had been brought under control and agencies were conducting a thorough search of the premises to establish whether anyone else remained trapped inside. He said no casualties had been reported at the time, although the search operation was continuing to rule out any possibility of further casualties. The rescue operation involved personnel from the Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, the revenue department, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), ambulance services and the Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS).
The blaze’s intensity was evident as flames spread across the showroom, engulfing multiple vehicles parked inside. Thick smoke continued to pour out of the building, prompting concern among residents and commuters in the surrounding area.
Several people passing through the stretch stopped to watch the firefighting operation, with many recording the incident on their mobile phones. The gathering of onlookers also affected traffic movement on the adjoining road. Police personnel were deployed to disperse the crowd and clear the area to ensure that fire tenders and ambulances could move without obstruction.
The Delhi Traffic Police subsequently issued an advisory regarding congestion on MG Road near Saket Metro station. Traffic movement was reported to be slow on both carriageways, with congestion also affecting Anuvrat Marg, Lala Lajpat Rai Marg and adjoining arterial roads. Commuters were advised to use alternative routes. Officials had not officially established the cause of the fire when firefighting operations began. Officials said they were searching and assessing the premises after bringing the flames under control.
The incident comes amid another major fire emergency in the national capital on Friday. Earlier in the day, a fire broke out at a mobile accessories shop in Karol Bagh’s Gaffar Market, spreading across a four-storey commercial building. Around 22 fire tenders were deployed to contain the blaze, which caused extensive property damage but resulted in no reported injuries.
The two incidents have brought renewed attention to fire safety and emergency preparedness in the capital’s commercial establishments. However, authorities will determine the exact cause of the Saidulajab showroom fire and the extent of damage to the vehicles and property after they complete their assessment.