New Delhi, March 12 : A massive fire broke out near the Matiala fish market in Delhi, engulfing hundreds of slums and triggering panic among residents. The blaze destroyed nearly 300 to 400 slums, leaving several families homeless and prompting urgent calls for assistance from the government.

According to officials, the fire broke out around 11.53 p.m. on Wednesday and quickly spread through the densely populated slum area. The Delhi Fire Service received the emergency call around 11.50 p.m., after which multiple fire tenders were rushed to the spot to control the flames.

A total of 24 fire tenders, along with senior fire officials, were deployed to tackle the blaze, which was classified as a medium-category fire. Firefighters battled the flames for several hours and managed to bring the situation under control by around 4.00 a.m. Cooling operations were later carried out to prevent the fire from reigniting and to ensure the safety of nearby residents.

Officials from the Delhi Fire Service said the fire destroyed between 300 and 400 slum dwellings. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries have been reported so far. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire.

Meanwhile, residents of the affected area were seen searching through the debris in an attempt to salvage whatever belongings they could. Many families claimed they had lost everything in the incident, including household items, documents and food supplies.

Several locals alleged that the fire may have been deliberately set, though these claims have not yet been confirmed by authorities. Residents said they had previously faced pressure to vacate the area.

Some people living in the settlement also claimed that money had been forcibly collected from them in the name of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). They further stated that a similar fire had occurred in the area just a few days ago, which they also suspected was intentional.

One resident said, â??The incident happened around 11.30 p.m., but the fire brigade arrived nearly an hour later. We believe someone set the fire intentionally. A few days ago, there was another fire nearby as well.â??

Another resident expressed despair over the loss. â??Where will we go now? We have nothing left. No one has even provided us with water. Everything has been destroyed in the fire. We donâ??t know how we will feed our children,â?? the resident said.

A third resident said the situation was difficult to control despite the fire brigadeâ??s efforts. â??Only the fire brigade came to manage the situation, but the damage was already huge. We have been living here for more than 15 years. Now nothing is left for us.â??

Another affected resident said, â??I was not here when the fire broke out, but when I returned, everything had been reduced to ashes. We request the government to provide food and support because we have lost everything.â??

/IANS