Seven killed as huts catch fire in Andhra

Hyderabad: Seven people, including four children, were burnt alive after a fire broke out today in a colony of construction workers at Medchal in neighbouring Ranga Reddy district, police said. The fire, which broke out in a hut, spread and gutted some 100 huts in Gundlapochampally village at around 1pm.[caption id=“attachment_217798” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Gutting mercilessly. AP”] [/caption] Seven persons, including four children and two women, were burnt to death, said Cyberabad Police Commissioner Dwarka Tirumala Rao, who visited the spot. The victims were from families of construction labourers and hailed from Mahabubnagar and Medak districts, he said. Most labourers had left for the work at the time. The cause of the fire was being verified, the commissioner said, adding that an explosion of cooking gas cylinder was heard as the fire spread. Locals said the labourers were staying in the area for the last four months. PTI