At least seven people were burnt to death and eight injured when a major fire broke out at a slum cluster in New Delhi in the early hours of Sunday, police said, according to dpa. The blaze which erupted in the shanties near the northern Lahori Gate area around 3 am (local time) gutted a number of huts. "Seven people were killed in the fire and eight people including five children sustained burn injuries," said police constable Satender Kumar, who is posted in the Lahori Gate area. "The condition of the children is serious," said Kumar adding the victims were charred beyond recognition. Delhi Fire Services officials said about 30 fire tenders were rushed to the area which has over 300 huts to douse the blaze. The fire spread quickly since inflammable plastic sheets were used by slum-dwellers to protect themselves from the cold. "The cause of fire is not yet known. Although the fire was doused rescue and relief work would continue to determine if there were more casualties," said an officer at the fire control room said. The injured were moved to Lok Nayak Jaiprakash hospital in central Delhi where they received medical treatment. News outlets reported that slum dwellers alleged that the fire was set off by local politicians in collusion with police to clear out the slums.
