New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) Hundreds were left homeless after scores of shacks caught fire here Friday, police said. But the fire brigade said only shops, warehouses and residential buildings were destroyed.
A police official said the fire broke out in the slum clusters of old Delhi’s Sadar Bazar area, possibly caused by an electrical short circuit. Within minutes, the flames engulfed the shacks.
“Around a thousand people are homeless as about 250 shacks were gutted in the fire. But there were no casualties,” said a police official.
The Delhi Fire Service, however said shops, warehouse and residential buildings were affected.
It said 25 fire tenders took two hours to douse the flames.
Aslam, a 45-year-old labourer, whose shack was destroyed, told IANS: “I was sleeping when I heard loud screams. I rushed out to see a massive fire.
“I woke up my kids and wife and ran for our lives,” said the father of three.
The nightmare has just begun for Aslam and others like him who along with their families will have to brave the Delhi heat without a roof on their head.
“The heat is intolerable and on top of it we have lost our homes. We will either go to a shelter home or take refuge in public parks,” said another victim, Rani, a 36-year-old housemaid.
