Gaffar Market fire: 20-25 shops hit in Karol Bagh, no casualties
Synopsis
A midnight fire at Delhi's iconic Gaffar Market electronics hub in Karol Bagh ripped through a four-storey commercial plaza, with 20–25 shops potentially gutted. The suspected trigger: overheating mobile batteries stored on the ground floor. No lives were lost — but the blaze spotlights fire-safety risks in one of Delhi's most densely packed commercial markets.
Key Takeaways
A major fire broke out at Gaffar Market, Karol Bagh, New Delhi , in the early hours of 6 November 2026 .
BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal estimated 20–25 shops were affected in the four-storey commercial plaza spread over 200 square yards .
No casualties were reported; Deputy Chief Fire Officer Madhav Kumar Chattopadhyay confirmed no one was trapped inside.
The Delhi Fire Department deployed 12–13 tankers along with three CAT ambulances and two PCR vehicles .
Overheating or overcharging of mobile batteries stored on the ground floor is the suspected cause, pending official investigation.
A PCR call was received by Karol Bagh Police Station at 1:28 am IST .
A major fire tore through Gaffar Market in Karol Bagh, New Delhi, in the early hours of Friday, 6 November 2026, gutting an estimated 20 to 25 shops in a four-storey commercial plaza, according to BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal, who visited the site as firefighting operations continued. No casualties have been reported, officials confirmed.
How the Fire Spread
According to Deputy Chief Fire Officer Madhav Kumar Chattopadhyay, the blaze initially broke out at the ground level, affecting one or two shops in Chain Wali Gali of Gaffar Market, before rapidly spreading upward through the multi-storey building. The structure is a plaza spread over 200 square yards, comprising a basement, ground floor, and three upper floors.
A PCR call was received at Karol Bagh Police Station at 1:28 am IST, according to Delhi Police. The fire reportedly originated in a ground-floor shop where mobile batteries were stored. Prima facie, overheating or overcharging of batteries may have triggered the blaze, although the exact cause is yet to be officially established.
Firefighting Response
The Delhi Fire Department deployed 12 to 13 fire tankers from the night itself to battle the blaze. In addition, three CAT ambulances and two PCR vehicles were dispatched to the site. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Chattopadhyay confirmed that no rescue operation was needed, as no one was trapped inside the building at the time.
'There is no need for a rescue operation as no one is trapped inside. Firefighting operations are currently underway,' he said, adding that the fire had first affected the ground level before moving to the upper floors.
What BJP MPs Said at the Scene
Khandelwal, who reached the spot while operations were still active, cautioned that it was too early to give a definitive damage assessment. 'It's difficult to say anything right now, but I feel that there must be 20–25 shops affected in this, because it's a commercial complex. So there must definitely be 25–30 shops in it… Our fire service personnel and police are actively engaged here,' he said.
He also noted that the fire reportedly broke out around midnight in one of the shops and spread rapidly. He added that some traders had managed to retrieve their goods before the fire engulfed the premises.
BJP MP Yogendra Chandolia described the incident as 'extremely unfortunate' but expressed relief over the absence of casualties. 'If this fire had broken out during the day, I think there could have been even greater damage,' Chandolia said, noting that an investigation would be needed to determine the precise cause.
Damage Assessment and Next Steps
The full extent of property losses is yet to be formally assessed, as firefighting operations were still underway at the time of reporting. Traders are reported to have suffered significant property damage, though some merchandise was salvaged. The cause of the fire will be established only after a formal investigation, officials said.
Gaffar Market is one of Delhi's most prominent electronics and mobile accessories markets, drawing thousands of traders and customers daily — underlining the potential economic impact of the blaze on the broader commercial cluster.
Point of View
Unresolved hazard: densely packed electronics markets in Delhi where large stocks of lithium batteries are stored in basement and ground-floor shops with inadequate fire-separation. This is not an isolated event — Karol Bagh and adjoining commercial clusters have seen similar incidents before. The fact that no lives were lost is fortunate, not systemic — the fire broke out at midnight when footfall was nil. Had it ignited on a busy afternoon, the outcome could have been catastrophic. Accountability questions around fire-safety compliance in designated commercial zones deserve attention beyond the immediate news cycle.
NationPress
6 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the Gaffar Market fire break out?
The fire broke out in a ground-floor shop in Chain Wali Gali of Gaffar Market, Karol Bagh, New Delhi, in the early hours of 6 November 2026. It spread from the ground floor through a four-storey commercial plaza covering 200 square yards.
Were there any casualties in the Karol Bagh Gaffar Market fire?
No casualties have been reported. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Madhav Kumar Chattopadhyay confirmed that no one was trapped inside the building and that no rescue operation was required.
What caused the Gaffar Market fire?
Prima facie, overheating or overcharging of mobile batteries stored in a ground-floor shop is suspected to have triggered the blaze, according to initial reports. The exact cause is yet to be officially established and will be determined after a formal investigation.
How many shops were affected in the Gaffar Market fire?
BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal, who visited the scene, estimated that around 20–25 shops in the commercial complex may have been affected. He noted it was too early to give a precise figure as firefighting operations were still underway.
How did Delhi Fire Department respond to the Gaffar Market blaze?
The Delhi Fire Department deployed 12–13 fire tankers from midnight, alongside three CAT ambulances and two PCR vehicles. Fire services managed to contain the blaze, with the first PCR call logged at 1:28 am IST at Karol Bagh Police Station.
