Overview
- Firefighters received the call around 11:54–11:55 pm and deployed roughly two dozen engines, bringing the blaze under control by about 3:00–3:45 am with cooling operations continuing.
- The fire began near the Matiala fish market and spread to nearby jhuggi clusters and shops, with residents evacuated and no casualties reported by authorities.
- Police recorded about 80 shanties destroyed, while some fire service and agency reports put losses closer to 300–400 dwellings, and locals said nearly 1,500 people were left homeless.
- This was the second fire at the location within a week after a March 7 incident that led to a police case, heightening scrutiny of conditions at the site.
- Officials say the cause is under investigation, with a short circuit suggested in early reporting, as authorities move to clear debris at privately owned land with disputed title and chronic waste dumping.