By the end of the day, a giant fire broke out at the factory making footwear in Narela, Delhi, causing panic in the spot and panic among workers and townspeople, as well as a precautionary tone.
Heavy smoke poured into the air, and we saw them when we were a few kilometers away, from a few kilometers away. It occurred under unknown circumstances in the factory premises.
The fire was quick and ignited by flammable materials commonly found in shoe-making, like rubber, adhesives and synthetic fabrics. These kinds of materials tend to start fires, making them much more dangerous and difficult to extinguish and likely to intensify them. They were forced to send fire tenders in the heat of the moment for calls in turmoil from those in charge.
#WATCH | Delhi: Fire breaks out at a shoe factory in Narela. Fire tenders rushed to the spot. Firefighting operations are underway. pic.twitter.com/kKGiC5r8FF
— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2026
There are a lot of firefighters on the scene attempting to stabilise the scene. Firefighters from the fire squad are fighting the flames on this building site and preventing the expansion of construction of the nearby industrial building block into neighbouring buildings and factories, as well as other working sectors, due to the tightly packed industrial area itself.
At this time, we still don't have any confirmed casualty or injury fatality numbers. But the building officials are enforcing strict policies that ensure no employees or workers will be trapped there. Emergency response teams are mobilising to evacuate buildings nearby, as a preventive measure.
Workers who had observed the fire left the factory, witnesses said, fleeing with trauma and testimony about a violent environment. Some heard small explosions. It could be chemical reactions or stored materials inside the building exploding. Authorities curbed access to the area in order to secure the safety of the public and facilitate rapid access to emergency services, the local authorities said.
We can’t know the cause of the fire itself. There will be a very serious investigation of the whole thing after the situation goes back to normal. Fire and local administration officials, as we would expect, are to determine the extent and severity of damage had been done and whether factory management adhered to safety protocols.
Industrial fires are commonplace in Narela and other small and medium-sized manufacturers located in the region. Fire investigators have always been concerned with fire safety compliance. They always said (and this would always come) that all flammable materials are to be stored in safe locations, fire suppression appliances put in place, and periodic safety audits (routine inspections) must take place.
Another instance of factory layouts, fire-prone and early warning (preparation) – the third time this has happened. Then those are going to be crucial for the next several hours, even as the firefighters dig in and fight the fire.
