The bustling D-Park market, often described as the heart of Rohtak city, opened its shutters on Wednesday morning as it does every day. But the familiar energy and cheerful chatter were missing.
In their place stood charred shops, blackened walls and heaps of twisted metal — grim reminders of the devastating fire that claimed three lives, including that of a showroom owner and two employees, on Tuesday.
Owners of nearby shops arrived at their establishments, but despair was visible on their faces. Instead of customers, curious onlookers streamed into the market, stopping to gaze at the destruction left behind by the tragedy.
The smell of smoke still lingered in the air as traders gathered in small groups, sharing memories, expressing grief and trying to come to terms with the scale of the loss.
“Every morning, this market comes alive with customers and business activity. Today, the scene was one of devastation. The owners of the 11 gutted shops have lost everything, not only precious lives but also the earnings of a lifetime,” said Gulshan Dang, a trade leader and state president of the Rashtriya Jan Udyog Beopar Sangathan.
He maintained that the fire reduced entire businesses to ashes. “Buildings suffered extensive damage, while stocks worth crores were completely destroyed. Several motorcycles and handcarts parked nearby were also consumed by the flames,” added Dang.
He pointed out that while CM Saini had announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh for the families of those killed and Rs 2 lakh for the injured, the relief is inadequate, given the magnitude of the losses. “The compensation is not enough. The affected families need substantial assistance to rebuild their lives and businesses,” Dang added.
For small traders like Raju, the tragedy has left the entire market shaken. Standing outside his shop, he described an atmosphere of anxiety and sorrow.
“An uneasy calm prevails in the market today. Everyone is saddened by what happened. The incident brought back painful memories of a cracker factory explosion more than a decade ago that killed five people,” Raju added.
Looking at the burnt remains, Raju sighed and said, “Hamari market ko kisi ki nazar lag gayi”.
Earlier, local Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Batra visited the site in the morning, went on to meet the victims’ families and later attended last rites of the three deceased victims.
“The incident has shaken the entire city. Merely expressing sympathy will not be enough to prevent such tragedies from recurring. Concrete and effective measures must be taken. Besides ample financial assistance, the government should also offer a government job to one member of each affected family,” added Batra.
Batra mentioned that the affected traders had raised serious questions about the functioning of the Fire Department.
“A fair and thorough investigation should be conducted to uncover the truth and ensure that relief and rescue operations become more effective in future emergencies,” he added.
Batra emphasised that the safety of people’s lives and property must remain the highest priority and that strict action should be taken against anyone found responsible for lapses.
Ex-Minister thanks CM for relief
Former minister and BJP leader Krishanmurti Hooda expressed grief over the tragedy and thanked CM Nayab Singh Saini for announcing Rs 10 lakh compensation for each victim’s family.
While praising the administration and police for their presence at the site, he urged DC Sachin Gupta to conduct a thorough inquiry into traders’ allegations regarding the delayed arrival of fire tenders that worsened the situation.
Bar Association Prez meets DC
Rohtak district Bar Association President Deepak Hooda and General Secretary Rajkaran Panghal met the DC regarding the tragedy.
“The Bar Association stands firmly with those impacted by the devastating blaze and has urged the government to provide maximum financial assistance, relief and rehabilitation support. We also express hope that the administration will ensure prompt aid and adequate compensation to help victims rebuild their businesses and recover from the losses caused by the tragedy,” Hooda said.
