40 slum clusters gutted after blaze in Sanjay Colony, none hurt

India — At least 40 slum clusters were gutted after a fire broke out in Sanjay Colony, behind Harkesh Nagar Metro station in the early hours of Sunday. While no person was injured, firefighters said at least six animals were killed in the fire. A truck parked nearby was also gutted in the blaze. The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said the cause of the blaze is yet to be established.

The fire broke out around 2.30am, when the DFS received a distress call reporting the incident. Senior officials said seven fire tenders were initially rushed to the spot to contain the fire, but as the blaze was in a cluster, 19 more were used to prevent it from spreading and to douse it completely.

DFS director Atul Garg said firefighters who reached the spot found that a truck parked nearby had been burnt. “The blaze was controlled after two hours, but the cooling operation continued till morning. While no person was injured, six animals were found dead in the fire,” Garg said.

He said the cause of fire is not yet established, but is believed to have sparked from a stove or a brazier lit inside one of the slum clusters.