50 vehicles gutted in blaze at Delhi Police's Wazirabad yard

New Delhi: At least 250 vehicles parked at the Delhi Police's 'malkhana (yard)' in Wazirabad were gutted in a fire that broke out in the early hours on Monday, Delhi Fire Services officials said.

The yard is used to park the vehicles seized by the police.

The fire broke out at 4 am and five fire tenders were pressed into service. The blaze was brought under control at 6 am, a Delhi Fire Services official said.

No one was injured in the incident but about 50 four-wheelers and nearly 200 two-wheelers were completely gutted, a Delhi Police officer said.

Earlier, the Delhi Fire Services official had said about 200 four-wheelers and 250 two-wheelers were gutted in the blaze.

The Delhi Police officer said the number of vehicles charred in the blaze was counted after the cooling operation was completed.

The 'malkhana' is spread over 500 square yards and is used to park thousands of seized vehicles. The ground is surrounded with bushes and shrubbery.

A police officer said it is suspected that someone started a small fire to beat the cold and it spread to the yard.

A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory was called in to ascertain the exact cause of the blaze, he added.

A case under the Section 435 (mischief by fire) of the Indian Penal Code against unidentified persons has been registered at Sonia Vihar police station, the police said.

Another police officer said a similar incident had occurred last year when several vehicles were gutted in a fire. The cause of the fire could not be established at that time.