Blaze takes 7 lives in Delhi Slum

Adarsh Verma for News to Use January 08, 2008

Seven people were charred to death and about 300 shanties devastated when a chief fire broke out in a slum huddle near Lahori gate in north Delhi. 30 fire tenders worked for about three hours to douse the blaze, alleged to be caused by a fire lit by slum dwellers near Lahori gate to fight the chilly weather.

"Seven persons were charred to death and almost all the 300 huts were completely gutted in the fire," R C Sharma, chief fire officer said. 10 were injured, some of them gravely, he said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) Devesh Shrivastava said the bodies of the seven persons were badly burnt and the process is on to determine the identity of the victims. There are about 800 people living in the slum cluster.

The fire was reported at around 02:40 am and fire officials who rushed to the spot originally feared the blaze would spread to shops adjoining the slum clusters. "Our first concern was to ensure that the fire does not spread through the adjoining shops and we managed to do it," a senior fire brigade officer said. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit, who visited the spot, announced a compensation of Rs one lakh to the relations of an adult victim and Rs 50,000 to a minor fatality.