Overview
- A late-night fire erupted around 10:30 pm at Aura Garden during a wedding and spread to the adjoining Sekhon Palace, prompting the evacuation of roughly 200 guests with no casualties reported.
- Police registered an FIR under Sections 125 and 324(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the owners of both venues for alleged negligence and fire safety violations.
- Fire officials now say preliminary findings indicate wedding fireworks likely ignited flammable décor, though earlier accounts mentioned cooking arrangements or a possible short-circuit.
- Multiple fire tenders from Zirakpur, Dera Bassi and Panchkula contained the blaze in about an hour, with reports noting a cylinder blast during operations and conflicting counts of five to ten engines deployed.
- Mohali’s deputy commissioner sought a detailed report on safety clearances, and the Zirakpur municipal council formed a committee to examine the cause and potential lapses.