Fire destroys over 150 shanties in Gurugram

GURUGRAM: Around 150 shanties were gutted when a major fire broke out in a slum in Sector 49 near Vatika Chowk on Friday.

The fire started when slum dwellers were setting out for work . However, no casualty was reported in the incident.

A number of people who live in the shanties lost their valuables, including TVs, coolers, money and important documents.

5 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the blaze which reportedly started around 10am.

Maushumi, 28, who is from Bengal said that she had gone out to wash her clothes when she saw fire in the nearby shanty. “I went back and took my kids out but lost all my valuables,” she said.

SDM Sanjeev Singhla, who was present at the spot, said that the district administration has started the rehabilitation efforts. “We have set up facility to provide them food and water and temporary stay at a primary school,” he said, adding that a probe has been ordered and police have been instructed to file an FIR against the rent collector as the land in which the slum was built was government land and was illegally encroached upon.