New Delhi: A young girl lost her life after a major fire swept through a cluster of makeshift homes in the Rithala area of northwest Delhi early Thursday morning, officials from the Delhi Fire Services said.
The blaze reportedly erupted around 4:15 a.m. in a group of jhuggis located near Surya Dhaba, close to the Rithala Metro Station. Firefighters rushed to the location after receiving the alert and battled the flames for several hours before bringing the situation under control by approximately 9:15 a.m.
Authorities said the fire ravaged more than 50 temporary huts in the settlement. The flames also spread to a nearby warehouse that stored large quantities of paper rolls and cardboard. The fire affected an area estimated at nearly 400 square yards and caused damage to a few residential flats located in the vicinity.
During the search and rescue operation, emergency teams recovered the charred body of a girl from the debris. Officials later handed over the remains to the police for further investigation and identification.
Personnel from both the fire department and the police remain deployed at the site as relief and rescue efforts continue. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and authorities have launched an inquiry into the incident.
