Banquet hall gutted in massive fire at Zirakpur, no casualties reported

ZIRAKPUR: A major fire broke out late Saturday night at a banquet halls — Aura Garden Banquet — located on Panchkula Road, Zirakpur. The incident triggered panic among hundreds of guests attending wedding functions at both venues, though all were safely evacuated in time.

According to officials, the blaze erupted around 10:30 pm, quickly spreading through the premises as thick smoke enveloped the area. Fire department teams, assisted by the staff and local police, launched an immediate rescue operation. “Eight fire tenders were deployed to control the situation, and our personnel continued firefighting operations till late in the night,” said Chief Fire Officer Amarinder Singh.

He added that while the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, initial findings indicate it may have originated from live cooking arrangements or a short circuit. “A gas cylinder also exploded during the operation, but fortunately, there were no injuries or casualties,” the officer confirmed.

Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal, who reached the site to assess the situation, has directed the fire department to submit a detailed report on the incident. She said the administration will verify whether the owners of the Marriage Palace possessed valid fire safety and building clearances.

Sources said the complex housed two halls — a main banquet and a smaller one — both of which suffered extensive damage as the flames spread rapidly. The incident has once again highlighted growing concerns over the lack of adequate fire safety compliance at banquet halls and marriage palaces across the region.

Fire officials said that though the situation is under control, cooling operations continued till early morning to prevent any rekindling. An assessment of the property damage is underway.