Prateek Tanmay
2 min readNew DelhiJun 15, 2026 04:47 AM IST
A major fire that allegedly started from a tandoor at a restaurant engulfed a four-storey commercial building in South East Delhi’s Kalkaji area early Sunday morning, triggering a series of LPG cylinder explosions and causing panic among residents, officials said, adding that no casualties were reported.
Firefighters launched an operation and rescued Sita Devi (70), who got trapped on the first floor of the adjoining residential building, officials added.
According to the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), a distress call was received around 4.45 am regarding a fire at the building located in H-Block, in Kalkaji’s Krishna Market.
Four fire tenders were rushed to the spot, while additional fire engines and a sky lift were later deployed as the flames intensified, the DFS official said.
The building, spread across approximately 180 square yards, housed a warehouse in the basement, shops on the ground floor, a restaurant on the first floor, a gym on the second, and Zara Banquet Hall on the third. The rooftop was also being used for banquet-related activities.
As per officials, preliminary investigations suggest that a tandoor installed near the ground floor for restaurant operations might not have been completely extinguished after use. Fire officials suspect that sparks from the tandoor ignited nearby curtains and combustible materials, allowing the blaze to spread rapidly through the structure.
During firefighting operations, four large commercial LPG cylinders exploded, while a total of ten burnt cylinders were recovered from the site, officials said. The fire also damaged the front portion of a residential building located behind the commercial complex.
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On how the 70-year-old was rescued, officials said that while the woman’s family members escaped through a rear balcony, the elderly woman was unable to descend. Firefighters secured her to a chair and carefully brought her to safety using rescue equipment, officials said.
The blaze was brought under control by 5.55 am after nearly an hour of intensive efforts, they said. Several things inside the building were found charred.
The police have registered a case, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the fire.
