Noida: Noida administration has extended relief to around 50 residents of a slum cluster in Gharbara village, Greater Noida, where a fire broke out on Sunday evening, destroying eight huts and affecting more than 25 others. Officials said the blaze was caused by a nearby electric pole. The administration has arranged food and shelter for the affected residents.According to district officials, the blaze broke out around 5pm and quickly spread through the densely packed settlement, reducing eight huts to ashes within minutes. Thick smoke and towering flames could be seen from a distance, drawing panic among residents as people rushed to salvage their belongings and move family members to safety.Officials from the fire department said two fire tenders were dispatched immediately after the department received information about the incident. Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control before it could consume the entire cluster.Officials said the flames spread rapidly because of the close proximity of the huts and the presence of highly combustible material such as plastic sheets, wooden frames, cloth and bamboo used in makeshift structures. Though no casualties or injuries were reported, several families lost household items, clothing and daily essentials in the fire.The affected settlement is home largely to migrant workers employed as sweepers, domestic workers and security guards in nearby residential societies and commercial establishments. Many residents were left without shelter overnight after their huts were gutted.Sub-divisional magistrate (sadar) Ashutosh Gupta visited the site on Monday morning to assess the damage and meet affected families. He said the administration initiated relief measures immediately after the incident.“There are a total of around 50 hutments in the area with over 200 people living here. The administration has provided compensation of Rs 8,000 per family to 15 families who have been left homeless due to the fire. They are also being provided food and temporary shelter,” Gupta said.The incident comes weeks after another major slum fire in the Kanavani area of Indirapuram, where over 150 jhuggies were gutted earlier this month, leaving nearly 1,000 people homeless. No fatalities were reported in that incident either.
