100 shanties gutted in Delhi fire

Around 100 shanties were gutted in fire in a slum cluster in the capital on Friday morning. While people in the affected area are being evacuated, no casualty has been reported so far, an official said.

The fire broke out in the slum cluster off the Mata Sundari Road near the ITO crossing, and within minutes the shanties were gutted, a police official said.

"On receiving a call around 9.30am, 30 fire tenders were pressed into service. The blaze was completely doused by around 11.15am," a fire department official said.

"A transformer near the slum cluster was found completely gutted. The residents of the affected area are being evacuated. The fire was doused before it could reach the area near the Lok Nayak Hospital and GB Pant Hospital," the official added.

The cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained.