Massive Fire Broke Out At Eatery Spreads After 2 Lpg Explodes, 5 Shops Of New Market Gutted, No Casualties Reporter In Bhopal

On Thursday afternoon, a massive fire erupted at an eatery located in New Market, Bhopal. The blaze rapidly spread, engulfing five shops and leaving them in ruins. Firefighters battled the inferno for nearly three hours, utilizing 43 fire tenders, 55 fire personnel, and 15 water tankers. Fortunately, no casualties were reported; however, two employees of the eatery sustained serious injuries when they jumped from the roof to escape the flames.

The fire's intensity was further compounded by the explosion of two gas cylinders, which triggered a rapid spread to adjoining shops. Eyewitnesses stated that the fire initially appeared contained within the Balaji Chhole-Bhature eatery, but an explosion of a kitchen gas cylinder set the surrounding buildings ablaze. A utensil shop, a clothing store, and a mobile phone shop were also consumed by the flames.

Thick black smoke enveloped the market, causing it to temporarily close. The eatery's manager and an employee, unable to escape through the route below, climbed to the roof and jumped onto a tin shed, sustaining injuries in the fall. Both were swiftly taken to the hospital.

Firefighters faced challenges accessing the scene, delayed by a locked gate and encroachments. The gate was eventually broken open by employees of shops attached to a nearby mosque, allowing fire tenders to enter. The Bhopal Municipal Corporation's anti-encroachment team also cleared a path for the firefighting vehicles, a process that took approximately 35 minutes.

BMC Commissioner Sanskriti Jain, alongside Mayor Malti Rai, MLA Bhagwandas Sabnani, and other officials, arrived at the scene to oversee the firefighting efforts. Police teams from three police stations and senior civic officials were deployed throughout the operation. The loss of the Balaji eatery, along with an adjoining utensil shop, clothing store, and mobile shop, was estimated at around Rs 2.5-3 crore.

Police officers seized eight domestic LPG cylinders from the Balaji eatery, as well as two more from the nearby Amrapali Hotel. The district administration directed the food department to file a case against the eatery owner for allegedly using domestic LPG cylinders for commercial purposes. The conflicting claims over encroachments and the availability of adequate firefighting resources have once again highlighted concerns about fire-safety preparedness and emergency access in one of Bhopal's busiest markets.