A massive fire broke out at a furniture market in Shahberi area of Greater Noida on Friday night, fire officials said, adding that at least 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to control the blaze. No casualties were reported till late night.
“On Friday, around 10.20pm, a fire broke out at a furniture shop in the Shahberi area under Bisrakh police station limits,” said Manoj Kumar, station house officer (SHO), Bisrakh.
“As soon as information was received through the 112 emergency helpline, the fire control room was alerted and firefighting teams were rushed to the spot,” the SHO said.
Officials said the blaze quickly spread due to the presence of highly inflammable material inside the shops, including wood, foam and polish chemicals. Around six to seven nearby furniture shops also caught fire due to the intensity of the blaze.
Efforts to douse the fire were underway till late Friday night, officials said.
Police said the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and will be ascertained once the blaze is completely extinguished.
The Shahberi furniture market, located along the Crossings Republik road, houses a large cluster of furniture warehouses and shops. Several videos of the incident circulated on social media, showing massive flames and thick smoke engulfing parts of the market.
Police cordoned off the area as a precautionary measure and advised commuters to avoid the stretch till the situation was brought under control.
According to data from the fire department, Gautam Budh Nagar recorded 150 fire incidents this year till April, including 32 each in January and February, 37 in March and 59 in April.
The Noida chief fire officer did not comment on the matter till the filing of this report.