New Delhi: At least seven people were burnt to death and several injured when a major fire erupted at a slum cluster in the national Capital in the wee hours today, the police said.

The blaze was reported in the slum cluster located near Lahori gate of North Delhi at around 2.45 am, gutting a number of huts in the area, they said. About 25 fire tenders were rushed to the locality, which houses over 250 hut-men, to douse the fire, they said adding that the cause of the fire was not immediately known.

"We have handed over seven charred body to the police, while a number of people, injured in the fire, have been rushed to the hospital by CAT ambulance," R C Sharma, Chief Fire Officer told reporters. "The victims have been charred to death beyond recognition," said Deputy Commissioner (North) Devesh Srivastava. The injured were admitted to the Lok Nayak Jaiprakash hospital.

The police control room in North Delhi said at least eight people including five children and two women were injured, majority of them grievously, and are undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Source : PTI