Around 160 thatched houses in
Kaliachak II block of Malda district were gutted rendering over 300 people homeless today.
BDO Arijit Mukherjee said the fire spread from a kitchen of one hut and quickly spread to other houses located at roadside of Bangitola panchayat.
Villagers and four fire tenders tried to douse the flame but it destroyed all the shanties.
The affected people have been sheltered in Bangitola High School and they were provided with food and relief materials, the BDO said.
