A massive fire broke out on Saturday morning at a coaching centre situated on the 4th and 5th floors of two adjacent buildings on Bada Bazar Road in Old Rajender Nagar, a well-known coaching hub in the national capital. The incident occurred near the Vajirao and Ravi Institute, one of the popular institutes for civil services exam preparations.
The Delhi Fire Service received a call at 11:08 am and immediately dispatched eight fire tenders to the location. The teams acted swiftly to bring the fire under control and successfully doused the flames within a short period. Thankfully, no casualties or injuries have been reported so far, according to the official statement from DFS.
A High-Risk Zone for Coaching Fires
Old Rajender Nagar is densely populated and lined with multiple high-rise buildings converted into coaching centres and hostels, catering to thousands of UPSC and other competitive exam aspirants from across India. Narrow lanes, congested infrastructure, and often overcrowded classrooms make fire safety a growing concern in the area.
This isn’t the first time the coaching hub has witnessed such an alarming incident. In July 2023, a minor fire broke out in a nearby paying guest (PG) accommodation due to a short circuit. While that incident also saw no casualties, it raised serious questions about fire safety audits and compliance in the area’s commercial-cum-residential buildings.
Eyewitness Accounts and Cause of Fire
Eyewitnesses reported panic as smoke billowed from the upper floors of the building, with students seen rushing out to safety. Many coaching centres in the vicinity immediately suspended classes for the day as a precautionary measure.
While the exact cause of the fire is yet to be officially determined, initial reports suggest it may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit or air conditioning unit malfunction, a common cause in such facilities.
