3 min readChandigarhMar 18, 2026 04:35 PM IST
A major fire broke out at a mobile phone market in Chandigarh Sector 22 on Wednesday afternoon, triggering panic in the busy commercial area, fire department officials said, adding that no injuries were reported in the incident.
The blaze erupted at SCO 1024–25, where several establishments operate on the upper floors. On the first floor were a photo studio and several small shops selling mobile phone accessories. A gift shop was located on the second floor.
According to officials, the fire was first noticed in one of the shops on the first floor and quickly spread due to the presence of highly flammable materials on the premises. Thick plumes of smoke soon engulfed the building and could be seen rising high into the sky from several kilometres away.
Rishabh Gulati, owner of the gift shop, 21 Century, said the fire initially appeared minor but escalated rapidly. “It seemed like a small fire at first, probably caused by a short circuit. We immediately informed the fire department when the flames began spreading. Firefighters initially tried to control the blaze from the front side of the market, but most of the fire spread from the backside of the building,” he said.
Gulati further said that goods worth approximately Rs 50–60 lakh stored in his shop were gutted.
The police control room (PCR) received a call regarding the fire from shop owners at around 1.10 pm.
Fire tenders rushed to the spot from the fire station in Sector 17 and other nearby stations after the fire could not be brought under control for nearly two hours.
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The police and the fire department immediately evacuated the crowded market to prevent any casualties.
Officials said that prima facie, the fire appeared to have been caused by a short circuit.
Chief Fire Officer Inderjeet said that more than 15 fire tenders rushed to the spot to bring the blaze under control. “Due to the inflammable material stored in the shops, the flames intensified quickly. The exact cause of the fire will be confirmed only after a detailed inquiry,” he said.
Chemicals kept in the photo studio contributed to the fire’s rapid spread.
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Statements from the affected shopkeepers will also be recorded as part of the investigation.
According to a police official, when first responders reached the spot, a small fire had broken out at the ground level of the building. Shopkeepers were asked to allow firefighters to douse the flames using high-pressure water from the fire tenders. However, they reportedly refused, stating that goods worth lakhs of rupees were stored inside the shops and that the water pressure could damage the material.
As a result, initial firefighting efforts were delayed, and the flames gradually spread to other parts of the building, intensifying the situation.
Additional support was also sought from nearby cities, including Panchkula and Mohali, to assist in controlling the blaze.
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Firefighters continued their operations to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings in the crowded market area. They worked at the site until around 3.45 pm.
Municipal corporation authorities said cooling operations would continue even after the flames were brought under control to ensure no residual fire remained inside the affected shops.
