New Delhi: A 25-year-old man tragically lost his life after becoming trapped in a lift during a fire that engulfed the Vishal Mega Mart departmental store in Karol Bagh on Friday evening. The fire, which broke out on the second floor of the four-storey commercial complex on Padam Singh Road, led to a major emergency response as thick smoke spread through the building.

The deceased, identified as Kumar Dhirendra Pratap Singh, had reportedly arrived at the store in search of employment when the incident occurred around 6:30 PM. He became stuck in the elevator as the blaze intensified and was later found deceased by emergency personnel.

Visuals from Delhi’s #KarolBagh; no reported casualties yet
.#VishalMegaMart #DelhiFire #FireNews pic.twitter.com/IhzGOJk9C3

— Harsh Trivedi (@harshtrivediii)

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Firefighting teams were deployed promptly, with thirteen fire tenders dispatched to the scene to contain the flames and stop them from spreading to other floors. The fire was brought under control by around 9 PM, but operations extended late into the night as firefighters battled lingering smoke and worked to secure the premises.

The fire originated in the second-floor showroom, which stored fabric and grocery items. Despite the fire being doused, smoke continued to hamper access to the upper levels well into the following day. Two floors of the building remained filled with dense smoke, complicating rescue and ventilation efforts.

Authorities have yet to determine how many people were present in the store at the time. While an electrical short circuit is suspected to have caused the fire, a definitive conclusion will only be drawn after a forensic investigation.

Notably, emergency services remained on-site through Saturday to assess the structural safety of the building. The incident has prompted concerns about fire safety compliance and emergency preparedness in commercial establishments, with officials expected to examine whether proper safety measures had been in place at the time of the tragedy.