Several shanties gutted in fire in Bengal's Howrah dist

Kolkata, Dec 19 Around 6-7 shanties were gutted on Tuesday after a massive fire broke out in a slum area on the Drainage Canal Road near Dumurjala Stadium in Howrah district of West Bengal. No casualties, however, were reported.

The fire was yet to be fully brought under control till the time of filing this report. An official said that eight fire tenders were trying to bring the blaze under control.

Although the exact reason of the fire is yet to be ascertained, a gas-cylinder blast is suspected to be one of the reasons.

A Fire Department official said that the main problem being faced by the fire-fighters is preventing the fire from spreading further.

"An extremely narrow approach and a strong wind is making our task even more difficult," he said.

State fire services minister Sujit Basu rushed to the spot, and he was seen monitoring and supervising the fire extinguishing process.

"The state government will provide compensation to those whose houses have been gutted by fire for the reconstruction of the same," Basu added.

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