A massive fire broke out late Friday night near Rithala Metro Station in Delhi’s Rohini, engulfing around 500 shanties and leaving one man dead and another injured, officials from the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) confirmed.
According to police, the blaze spread rapidly after multiple LPG cylinders exploded, causing chaos and panic among residents who rushed to save their belongings and escape the flames.
Eyewitnesses reported thick plumes of smoke rising across the night sky as the fire tore through the densely populated slum cluster. Fire officials said preliminary estimates indicate that 400 to 500 huts were completely gutted in the blaze.
The DFS control room received a distress call at 10:56 pm, following which several fire tenders and firefighting robots were dispatched to the site. Police quickly cordoned off the area, while additional fire engines were placed on standby to prevent the flames from spreading further.
The fire was brought under control by early Saturday morning, officials said. The deceased was identified as Munna, while another man, Rajesh, sustained burn injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, while teams from the disaster management and local administration are assisting affected families who lost their homes and possessions in the tragedy.
