Charred remains at the site after a fire broke out at a vehicle depot, at Nehru Place area in New Delhi, Thursday, April 3, 2025.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: More than 400 vehicles seized by the Delhi Traffic Police were gutted in a fire in Nehru Place here on Thursday, an official said.
An FIR has been registered in the matter and police are probing if there was any foul play involved, he said.
The Delhi Fire Services received a call regarding a fire at a police malkhana (yard) in Nehru Place at around 2 pm, he said.
According to eyewitnesses, thick plumes of smoke were visible from a distance and the blaze rapidly engulfed several vehicles.
Initially, the fire department said about 50 vehicles, including two-wheelers, three-wheelers and cars, were damaged due to the blaze and six fire tenders were rushed to the spot. It took more than three hours to douse the flames.
The Delhi Police, in a statement issued in the evening, said more than 400 vehicles were gutted in the fire that has now been doused.
"At the time of the incident, 2,667 seized vehicles were parked in the yard. Around 400 vehicles were burnt to ashes. The exact cause of fire is yet to be ascertained," the statement said.
The yard belongs to the Delhi Police and officials from the traffic headquarters visited the spot to assess the damage.
A large number of two-wheelers and four-wheelers, including vehicles involved in accidents, seized by the traffic police were parked in the yard, an official said.
No compensation will be provided by the police, a senior police officer said, adding the owners can claim insurance.