New Delhi, 1 May 

The Delhi Police on Thursday said it has launched an investigation into the fire that broke out at Dilli Haat in south Delhi, in which at least 30 shops were gutted.

Police will examine CCTV footage from multiple areas to determine the cause of the blaze on Wednesday night, a senior police officer said. No casualties were reported in the incident.

"We have launched a detailed investigation into the fire incident that took place at Dilli Haat. Multiple teams have been formed," the officer said.

Police are also verifying the response time of the fire teams that rushed to the location.

"We have cordoned-off the area for time being and are not allowing anyone to go inside the market. This is part of investigation. We are also ensuring that no one face any kind of problem," said the officer.

Many shopkeepers were seen waiting outside the market.

A massive fire broke out at Dilli Haat, a popular market in INA area, gutting over 30 shops and destroying items worth several crores of rupees. Thirteen fire tenders had to be deployed to control the fire.

Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra also rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.

According to Delhi Tourism Department, the Dilli Haat which is spread over six acres opposite the INA Market was established in March 1994.

The Dilli Haat has been a vibrant platform for artisans and craftsmen from across the country. Designed as a modern version of a traditional rural haat or village market, it is the earning points for over 200 shopkeepers who sell handmade crafts and ethnic cuisine.

Meanwhile, sources in the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said that after they received the call, they immediately dispatched several fire tenders to the spot.

"Our priority was to douse the flames immediately. Most of the stalls there sell items like wooden arts, sarees, and shawls which could catch fire very soon. Our main focus was to control the blaze from spreading further," said a DFS source.

He said that the only challenge was traffic, but their vehicles reached the spot on time.

"We had deployed extra fire engines as a precautionary measure," he added.

Kuldeep Kumar, who had a 'chikankari kurta' shop at the Dilli Haat, said that he was saving for his sister's wedding next year, but he lost everything due to the fire incident.

"I am sure that the Delhi government will announce compensation for us to cope up with the situation," Kumar told PTI.