A tragic incident unfolded on the evening of July 4, 2025, when a 25-year-old student, Kumar Dhirender Pratap Singh, lost his life after becoming trapped in an elevator during a major fire at the Vishal Mega Mart outlet in Delhi’s Karol Bagh.
The fire reportedly started between 6:30 and 6:44 PM on the second floor of the four-storey commercial building, which houses fabric and grocery items. Singh, who was at the premises in connection with a job search, became stuck in the lift after a power failure triggered by the fire rendered the elevator inoperative.
Firefighters faced immense challenges in conducting rescue operations. The building had only a single entry and exit point, and staircases were blocked by stored merchandise, severely restricting access to the upper floors and preventing proper ventilation of the dense smoke.
To combat the situation, firefighters were forced to break through a wall to allow smoke to escape and to reach the areas most affected by the fire. A total of thirteen fire tenders were deployed to the site, and the blaze was brought under control before 9 PM. However, cooling and search operations continued late into the night.
While the preliminary cause of the fire is suspected to be a short circuit, officials have stated that a final determination will be made following a detailed forensic investigation.
The incident has once again brought fire safety in commercial spaces under the spotlight, raising critical concerns about building regulations, emergency preparedness, and the enforcement of safety norms in densely populated areas of Delhi.