Over 100 houses gutted in fire in Dwarka slum cluster

NEW DELHI: Over 100 dwellings were gutted in a major fire that broke out in a slum in southwest Delhi's Dwarka Sector 3 this morning.

Police and fire department officials said no casualty was reported in the incident that took place around 10 AM. At least 20 fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

The flames could be put out only about one and a half hours later, following which a cooling operation was launched, they said.

The blaze started in a huge scrap deposit beside the slum cluster in Matiala area and soon after, a whole bunch of tenements was on fire. The flames spread further as the residents evacuated their houses.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, police said.

Later in the day, senior district officials went to the spot and arranged for food, shelter and clothing for the victims by roping in the NGOs in the city.

Over 100 tenements, inhabited mostly by ragpickers, were gutted in the fire, they said.