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Sector 12-14, Vikas Nagar, massive fire, Lucknow. On the evening of April 15, a huge fire broke out in a densely populated slum cluster and burnt over 200-280 shanties and left more than 1,000 of the residents, all of whom were mainly migrant workers, homeless.

The fire began in an empty piece of land by the Ring Road and was rapidly spreading because of the strong winds and flammability of materials used to construct the huts. Repeated explosions of LPG cylinders added to the inferno, producing huge amounts of black smoke into the air. The fire could be seen at distances of several kilometers, and this panicked the city.

SDRF and NDRF, combined with fire tenders, arrived at the scene and after several hours controlled the fire. There are no reported casualties yet. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed authorities to hasten relief and rehabilitation operations, and a high-profile investigation into the incident has been ordered.