Jaipur Walled City Fire Guts 20 Shops, Narrow Lanes Hamper 7-Hour Firefighting; No Casualties Reported

Jaipur: A major fire broke out at a three-story Sethi Complex in Purohit Ji Ka Katla in Jaipur’s walled city on Thursday morning, gutting around 15-20 shops and damaging several others. No casualties were reported, as the market was closed and the complex was largely unoccupied when the fire started.

The fire was reported around 7 a.m. on the second floor, where a bangle warehouse was located. Preliminary investigation suggests a short circuit triggered the blaze, which subsequently spread to nearly 25 shops dealing in garments, plastic goods, cosmetics, bangles, and other items. Several traders had stocked up on new merchandise worth lakhs of rupees ahead of the festive season, much of which was destroyed in the fire.

Manak Chowk SHO Rakesh Khyalia said more than 20 fire-fighting teams battled the blaze for nearly seven hours. Water was also brought in through private tankers, as fire engines could not reach the complex directly because of the narrow lanes in the congested market. Long hoses were laid from the main road into the complex to douse the flames.

Five commercial LPG cylinders stored inside the building were also removed by firefighters as a precautionary measure, officials said, adding that the building's fire NOC and other safety arrangements would be examined as part of the investigation.

The fire was first noticed by the complex's watchman, Vikram, who saw smoke emerging from the shops and alerted traders through their WhatsApp group. This prompted traders, police, and the fire department to respond quickly.

Had the accident occurred during the afternoon rush hour, Jaipur could have faced a major incident due to the congestion in the narrow lanes.

Fire officials said the blaze continued to generate thick smoke for several hours after the flames were brought under control. The complex's firefighting equipment was reportedly not functional.