A massive fire at New Delhi&rsquo;s Brahmaputra building has sparked a fierce political storm, with opposition leaders accusing the BJP-led Delhi government of gross negligence and lack of preparedness.
The blaze broke out on Saturday afternoon at the Staff Quarters of MPs&rsquo; Flats on BD Marg. Though the fire was contained without casualties, the incident has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders, including Saket Gokhale and Arvind Kejriwal.
Gokhale, a TMC MP who lives in the building, described the episode as &ldquo;terrifying&rdquo; and claimed it exposed the city&rsquo;s poor emergency response. &ldquo;There are three fire stations within five minutes of the building. None responded when the staff called. I personally contacted the fire department at 1:22 pm, and the first engine arrived 25 minutes later,&rdquo; he said in a post on X.
He further alleged that the building&rsquo;s fire safety system was non-functional. &ldquo;There was no water in the fire system. The alarm didn&rsquo;t work. People had to evacuate through thick smoke and flames. Ambulances arrived an hour later, without basic first-aid kits. Eight staff houses were completely gutted. They lost everything,&rdquo; he said.
Kejriwal, the former chief minister and AAP national convenor, echoed the criticism, accusing the BJP administration of undoing progress made in the capital. &ldquo;They ruined everything within six months,&rdquo; he wrote on X in response to Gokhale&rsquo;s post. He alleged that Delhi, which once had quality schools, hospitals, clean water, and free electricity, is now facing &ldquo;broken roads, garbage heaps, and overflowing sewers.&rdquo;
The Ministry of Housing &amp; Urban Affairs stated that the fire originated in the silt area of the building, where old furniture was stacked for disposal. According to preliminary reports, the blaze started after children ignited firecrackers nearby.
The fire was reported around 1:15 pm and fully extinguished by 1:45 pm. Officials said firefighting systems in the building were operational and helped control the flames before fire tenders reached the spot. No injuries were reported.
Despite the quick containment, the delay in the arrival of emergency services has intensified political attacks on the ruling administration. What began as a safety incident has quickly turned into a high-voltage political flashpoint in the capital.

Brahmaputra fire sparks political storm in Delhi

Blaze at MPs’ flats triggers opposition outrage, raises questions on fire safety and gover

Brahmaputra fire sparks political storm in Delhi

Blaze at MPs’ flats triggers opposition outrage, raises questions on fire safety and gover

October 19, 2025 | 20:30 IST