Delhi Police in a statement said the building houses several shops, including an institute MAAC Rajouri, a restaurant named Jungle Jamboree (which was closed) on the second floor. "The damage is lesser on the ground floor establishments," it said. Police said that the fire was under control. The owners of establishments have been asked to account for all the people who were in the premises at the time of the fire, they said.
Delhi Fire Services said that they received a fire call regarding fire in Jungle Jamboree Restaurant near Rajouri Garden Metro Station at 2.01 pm. Ten fire tenders were immediately dispatched to the site to control the blaze. DFS chief Atul Garg said no casualties were reported. The Municipal Corporation Department in a statement said it had ordered closure of the establishment following withdrawal of Fire Safety Certificate in October.
In November, it revoked the Health Trade License of the establishment. "A fire incident occurred today at A-23, First Floor, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi-110027, due to a short circuit in the wiring. The fire was swiftly controlled by the Delhi Fire Service Department. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported," it said.
Thick smoke engulfed the area, creating panic among the shopkeepers and several students jumping off from an around eight-foot wall to an adjacent building's roof, videos of which showed up on social media. A businessman, who has a shop in the same building, said the two-floor structure houses many mobile shops, ATMs, coaching institute and a restaurant which had been shut for the last two months.
"It was around 2 pm, when security guards of the building came running and asked everyone to vacate the building immediately. We were asked by the fire department to stay away at least 100 metres from the building. They launched a rescue operation and made sure that everyone was safe," said the shopkeeper.
He also said that many students who got stuck due to the fire, had to jump from their coaching institute to an open area of the restaurant on the second floor. "Almost 30 people who got stuck in the building were very close to the flames. We saw that they were calm and were jumping diagonally from the second floor to the first flood of an adjacent building," he said.
Another shopkeeper, Ghanshyam Agarwal, said, "It was around 2 pm, when many shopkeepers witnessed black smoke billowing from the restaurant. We immediately informed the police and fire brigade teams." Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the incident saddening.
"This incident of fire in Rajouri Garden is very sad. I have spoken to CM Atishi ji, she is constantly monitoring this incident and will personally go there to see the relief work. May God keep everyone safe," he wrote on X in Hindi.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi wrote, "Our firefighters have brought the fire in a restaurant in Rajouri Garden under control very quickly and promptly. I am in constant touch with the district administration regarding relief and rescue operations." She added, "By the grace of God there has been no loss of life in this incident, one person has been injured who has been sent to the hospital for treatment."
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