A fire broke out on the second floor of the Karkardooma Court complex in New Delhi at approximately 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, 7 June, inside a scanning room near Gate No. 4, officials confirmed. The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) responded swiftly, and the blaze was brought under full control within the hour, with no casualties or injuries reported.

How the Fire Unfolded

The DFS received the distress call at 5:22 a.m., after which eight fire tenders were immediately dispatched to the site. Divisional Officer Mukesh Verma issued a 'stop message' at 6:05 a.m., officially confirming the fire had been fully contained — roughly 43 minutes after the first call was logged.

Officials stated that there were no reports of loss of life, injuries, or significant property damage at the time of reporting. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and an investigation has been launched to determine the origin of the blaze.

Files and Court Records Feared Damaged

Advocate Rajendra Pal, who was present at the scene, said the fire appeared to have affected old files and records stored near a canteen on the second floor. 'An incident of fire occurred around 5:00 in the morning. There is a canteen here, and on the second floor, near the canteen, old files and records are kept. These files appear to be old records, and some of them have been damaged,' he said.

Pal added that the full extent of the damage — including how many files were burnt and which records were affected — would only be known after a formal investigation. 'The exact extent of the loss will be known after an investigation into how many files were burnt, what records were affected,' he said.

Context: Delhi's Fire Safety Crisis

This incident comes just days after a devastating fire at a bed-and-breakfast establishment in Delhi's Malviya Nagar claimed 21 lives, including 13 foreign nationals, and left dozens injured. Police registered a case under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, mischief by fire, and negligence endangering human life.

The hotel's owner, Lavkesh Bajaj, and cook, Keshav Negi, have since been arrested. Investigators found the property had been operating over 20 rooms despite holding permission for only six, and had reportedly functioned for seven to eight years without a mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Delhi Fire Services.

Delhi's Citywide Safety Crackdown

In the wake of the Malviya Nagar tragedy, Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi announced the formation of a joint task force following a high-level meeting convened by the Lieutenant Governor. The task force — comprising officials from the district administration, police, and civic bodies — has been mandated to conduct inspections of commercial establishments and lodging facilities across the capital.

Properties found violating safety norms or operating without requisite approvals face immediate action, including sealing of premises, according to Wahi. Forensic examinations related to the Malviya Nagar fire are ongoing, with investigators reportedly gathering evidence to determine whether negligence, regulatory violations, or other factors caused the deadly blaze.

As Delhi's fire safety record comes under intense scrutiny, the Karkardooma incident underscores the urgency of the city's compliance drive — and the investigation into Sunday's court complex fire is expected to shed light on whether safety protocols at government buildings are being adequately followed.