New Delhi Fire Devastates Shanty Town

More than 300 shanties were burned to the ground in New Delhi's Ghazipur area early on Tuesday morning.             
             
Sunil woke to mayhem and destruction.             

[Sunil, Slum Resident]:              
"Suddenly, everything was burnt and there was chaos in the area, we were sleeping at that time."             
             
Smoke and flames rising from the slum could be seen from several kilometres away, drawing crowds.             

Authorities say there are no initial reports of injuries.             

Firefighter Deepak was one of the first at the scene.             
             
[Deepak,  Firefighter]:       
"We sent five vehicles immediately and later on, we upgraded the category of the fire and sent several vehicles.  The fire has been completely doused and as of now no casualties have come to notice, but only after investigating can we confirm if there are any dead or injured."             
             
For now, residents sift through the destruction, trying to salvage what they can.             
             
But a blanket of ash in all directions leaves little hope.