Fire destroys 70 houses

Nearly 200 people became homeless when a fire broke out at a slum near Shadipur bus depot in central Delhi on Friday afternoon, a fire brigade official said.

The fire broke out around 1:30 pm and was brought under control within one-and-a-half hour.  No one was injured, a senior police officer said.

According to a fire official, around 12 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. “The flames damaged around 70 houses,” he said.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be established. However, initial reports suggest it was due to a short-circuit. Fire official said several flammable items like woods, clothes and plastic were stored at the cluster.

“Everything has turned into ashes. I was sleeping inside the house when my son came running to tell me there was a fire all over the area. I picked up important documents and rushed outside and saw everything in flames,” said Gita Sharma, who hails from Bihar, and was lives with her husband and three sons.   

Some temporary camps have been set up in the area for the slum dwellers.