At least 30 huts were destroyed in a fire in central Delhi's Takia Kale Khan area late on Monday, prompting a large-scale rescue operation, officials said.
Police said 12 people, including several families, were evacuated from the area as firefighters worked to contain the blaze. No injuries were reported.
The Delhi Fire Service said it received a call about the fire at 11:22pm local time and dispatched 24 fire engines to the scene.
"Firefighters and other police teams battled the blaze for nearly three hours before bringing it completely under control. The DFS said the fire was extinguished by 12.55 am on Tuesday, following which cooling operations were undertaken," a police officer said.
According to police, the fire broke out in an area where old furniture, timber and other combustible materials were stored, producing thick smoke and raising concerns that the flames could spread to nearby homes.
Police said despite resistance from some locals reluctant to leave their belongings behind, residents in the area were alerted and moved to safety amid challenging conditions.
"Teams carried out door-to-door evacuation and persuaded families to move away from the affected zone.
Through timely intervention, teams safely rescued and evacuated 12 people, including entire families, before the fire could spread further," the officer added.
The Fire Department, BSES and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) were informed and reached the site shortly thereafter.
Nine ambulances were also deployed as a precautionary measure.
Additional police personnel were called in to assist with crowd management, evacuation and ensuring unhindered movement of emergency vehicles during the firefighting operation.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
(With inputs from PTI)
