Delhi: Fire guts shop in Gandhi Nagar; over 500 deaths since 2019

A fire that broke out at a shop in Delhi's Gandhi Nagar has been controlled. The incident underscores a concerning trend, with Delhi Fire Service data showing over 500 people have died in fire incidents in the city since 2019.

A fire broke out at a shop in the Gandhi Nagar police station area of Shahdara on Saturday. Fire Officer Deshpal Singh said, "The fire department received a call at 9.08 PM, but due to address confusion and narrow streets, fire trucks arrived later. The fire is completely under control. The cause of the fire is under investigation."

Over 500 Deaths in Delhi Fires Since 2019

Meanwhile, according to data from the Delhi Government and the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), more than 500 people lost their lives in fire-related incidents between 2019 and March 21, 2026. Thousands more sustained injuries during the same period. According to the DFS, in 2019-20, a total of 95 deaths were recorded, in 2020-21, a total of 41 deaths were recorded, in 2021-22, a total of 55 deaths were recorded, in 2022-23, a total of 95 deaths were recorded, in 2023-24 a total of 77 deaths were recorded, in 2024-25, a total of 90 deaths were recorded, and in 2025-26 (till March 210), a total of 65 deaths were recorded. The highest number of fatalities in a single year was recorded in 2019-20, largely due to the tragic Anaj Mandi fire, which alone claimed 44 lives. In addition, fire incidents between 2019 and 2025 resulted in injuries to at least 4,403 people. The growing frequency of fire-related emergencies is also reflected in the increasing number of calls received by the Delhi Fire Service. Official records show that DFS received 17,231 calls in 2019-20 and 20,379 calls in 2025-26. (ANI)

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