At least seven people died after a fire broke out in the shanties of New Delhi’s Gokulpuri area on Saturday, NDTV reported. Sixty huts were burnt in the fire.
The Delhi Fire Service department said that the fire broke out around 1 am. As many as 13 fire tenders were rushed to the site and the fire was brought under control by 4 am, according to NDTV.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police said that teams were dispatched to the spot soon after they received a call about the fire.
“We also contacted the fire department that responded very well...Seven lives are lost,” he said, according to ANI.
Amongst the seven who died, is an 11-year-old child, an official told IANS.
“We recovered seven charred bodies which are unrecognisable, it seemed that these people were sleeping and couldn’t escape as the fire spread extremely fast. Sixty huts were also completely burnt. We are yet to know the reasons behind the fire,” said Atul Garg, Delhi fire director, told ANI on Saturday.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed grief over the incident. “I will go the area and meet the families of the deceased,” he said in a tweet.
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