More than 200 shanties were gutted in a massive fire that broke out in a slum near Ghasola village in Sector 49 area on Monday. No one was reported hurt.
The spread of fire was helped by the bursting of more than 150 small and big gas cylinders, authorities said.
More than 20 fire engines were pressed into service with 100 firefighters, and it took more than four hours to control the fire, but by then a large number of shanties had gone up in smoke, said a senior fire officer.
It is estimated that more than 2,000 people became homeless in the fire, and even more lost their valuables such as TVs, refrigerators, cash, jewellery, and important documents.
Police, civil defence team and some private NGOs were on the spot to help people get to a safe space.
According to a fire official, the fire broke out Monday at 11.30 am in a shanty and even as the residents called up the fire brigade, several cylinders burst one after another, helping the fire spread with a ballistic force.
According to the fire office, four fire tenders from Sector 29 fire station reached the spot within minutes of the call and started the rescue operation.
Soon after, fire engines from Bheem Nagar, Sector 37, and Udyog Vihar, Manesar, Sohna, and DLF fire station also reached the spot.
“My attention was drawn to the fire when I heard people from the slums screaming for help. Someone asked me to call the fire brigade which I did. Soon, the fire was spreading around all shanties due to a blast in mini gas cylinders,” Karan Singh, a witness to the incident, said.
Murjil, another slum dweller, said he was quick in spotting the fire and was able to rescue his valuables.
“I was outside my jhuggi so I spotted it soon enough. Otherwise everything would be gutted, and also since there was no one in the house at the time,” he said.
Reportedly, the slums which caught fire on Monday have been built illegally on the government land by four contractors.
People who live in these shanties pay Rs 2,000-4,000 per month in rent.
The same slum had seen a similar fire two years ago.
“It was the bursting of the small cylinder that aggravated the fire. It took 20 fire tenders and 100 firemen four hours to control it.
“Over 200 shanties were gutted while our firefighters saved around 500 shanties in the same area,” said Narender Singh, a fire officer.
“The cause behind the fire is not ascertained yet,” he added.
District Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said that the slum was built illegally on government land and action will be taken against the culprits.
“We are also looking to rehabilitate the slum residents. For now, we will house them in night shelters,” he added.
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