More than 98 vehicles were either damaged or gutted after a fire broke out at a Metro parking area in southeast Delhi’s Jamia Nagar on Wednesday morning. However, no causality was reported in the incident.
According to Atul Garg, Director, Delhi Fire Service, a call regarding a blaze in main Tikona Park in the Jamia Nagar area was received at around 5 A.M. following which 11 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. “Several vehicles including, 10 cars, one motorcycle, two scooters, 30 new e-rickshaws and 50 old e-rickshaws caught fire in the Metro parking,” he said.
The fire was brought under control by 10:30 A.M. The cause of the fire is being ascertained, the official said, adding that the entire parking space has suffered damage.
Police said they were informed about the fire at 5.15 A.M. and suspect that it was caused by a short circuit.
According to a senior police officer, the area inside the Delhi Metro premises has been taken on lease by ETO Motors and is being used as a parking lot and a charging station for e-rickshaws.
“A total of 83 e-rickshaws were gutted, while 11 cars, four two-wheelers and the air-conditioners of two-three houses in the vicinity got damaged. No casualty was reported,” said the officer.
“A First Information Report (FIR) under Section 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at the Okhla Vihar Metro police station,” said the officer.
“The parking space also included an e-rickshaw charging station and it has been divided into two parts. One was used to charge e-rickshaws while the other was used to park vehicles. I do not know if Metro officials had approved this plan or if they knew about it,” said a resident of the area.
“It could either be a short-circuit or a battery blast at the e-rickshaw charging station that triggered the fire and one by one, all the vehicles caught fire,” he said.
“Visited the site of fire incident at Delhi Metro parking at Tikona Park, Jamia. Instructed MD, DMRC who was present there to ensure putting in place a foolproof system of manning such places so that such incidents do not take place again,” Delhi Lieutenant-Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena tweeted.
