Fire in Thane slum; one dead

One person was charred to death and several others injured when a fire broke out in a slum colony at Kalwa here in the early hours today.
According to Disaster Cell of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), the fire broke out in one of the huts of Shanti Nagar slum colony situated on the Mafatlal Company open grounds on the eastern side of Kalwa, around 2.15 AM.
Soon the flames engulfed nearby dwellings and razed at least two dozen hutments while the occupants were deep asleep.
At least three fire engines and water tankers were rushed to the scene and the blaze was brought under control in about two hours, fire officials said.

As wailing women and children ran out of their houses in the wee hours following the mishap, police found it extremely difficult to control the crowd.
The deceased was identified as one Suleman Shaikh (35). However, the number of injured is still unspecified.
The cause of the fire is still not known and a probe is on, officials said.