Dozens of shanty houses gutted in fire

Dozens of slum-dwellers were left shelter-less after a devastating fire swept through their shanties in Ahsanabad off Superhighway on Saturday morning. It was immediately not clear what ignited the blaze which turned 30 to 35 shacks and belongings into ashes.

As per details, the slum-dwellers woke up to a fire in a shack around 2am, which rapidly engulfed nearby huts. Residents tried to put out the blaze on a self-help basis, but failed to contain the raging flames which were fed by the flammable materials used in the construction of the huts.

Two fire tenders managed to control the inferno. "The fire spread too quickly," said one resident, Krishna, who has lived in the shanty town for over five years. "We were all sleeping when it started, and in the panic, our primary concern was getting the children to safety. We barely managed to escape with our lives, but lost our belongings."

The slum-dwellers, who have been living in shacks erected in a vacant plot in Ahsanabad, include more than 50 families, each consisting of eight to 10 members, including elderly people, women, and children. However, with the destruction of their shanties, they are now left with nothing. No casualties were reported.

The affectees appealed the government to supply them with food, clothing, and support to rebuild their huts. "We don't beg for charity; we work hard to make ends meet by selling utensils and clothes. But now, we have nothing left," said a resident Krishna. "Our ancestral roots are from Sukkur and Shikarpur, and we appeal to the government to help us rebuild our lives."