Massive fire erupts at Delhi fish market; video shows several shops engulfed in flames

A massive fire broke out at a fish market in the Matiala area near Uttam Nagar in west Delhi around midnight between Wednesday and Thursday, prompting a large firefighting operation, officials said.

According to the Delhi Fire Service, a call about the blaze at the Matiala fish market was received at 11:55 pm, after which 23 fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

No casualties have been reported so far, officials added. Police said the fire is suspected to have destroyed several shops and a few nearby huts, though the exact cause of the blaze remains unknown.

Authorities said the locality where the fire broke out lies a few kilometres from an area that saw tension earlier this month following the killing of a 26-year-old man during Holi celebrations.

Tension in Uttam Nagar after Holi killing

The fire incident comes days after violence erupted in Uttam Nagar following the death of a 26-year-old man, Tarun, who was allegedly beaten to death on March 4 after a dispute involving a water-filled balloon during Holi celebrations in JJ Colony.

According to Delhi Police, the clash began after water from a balloon thrown by a girl from Tarun’s family splashed on a woman from a neighbouring household, triggering a confrontation between the two groups.

The violence led to vandalism and arson in the area, prompting authorities to tighten security and deploy additional police personnel.

So far, 16 people have been apprehended in connection with the case — including 14 adults, among them three women, and two juveniles, police said.

Police refute rumours about ‘missing’ juvenile

Meanwhile, Delhi Police on Wednesday dismissed rumours circulating on social media claiming that a juvenile linked to the murder case had gone missing.

Kushal Pal Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka), said the claims were false and clarified that the minor had already been apprehended on March 5 and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board as required by law before being sent to an observation home.

“Spreading false rumours is a criminal act and renders one liable to be prosecuted,” Singh said, adding that authorities are monitoring social media platforms to identify those spreading misinformation.

Police said strict provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been invoked along with relevant sections related to murder.