Mumbai: More than 500 shanties were devastated in a major fire as 14 cylinders blasted on Thursday November 21 at around 11.30, at Cuffe Parade area of South Mumbai, but the instigation of the fire is not yet known.

The fire flames spread over 8000 sq m that destroyed hunts at Muthi Nagar as well as the Ambedkar Nagar slum area. The area which is over populated with hundreds of families rushed outside their house with some of their belongings.
The land is under the jurisdiction of the collector of Mumbai, had been taken over by slum dwellers.
Around 16 fire engines were sent to the spot and more than 350 police personnel were deployed to control the crowd. It took officials almost two and a half hours to saturate the flames. Firefighters had difficulty entering the inner parts of the slum that were on fire, because there was barely any space to move around.
It resulted in unparalleled traffic jam in South Mumbai for more than three hours, and it became extremely difficult to control the entire situation as the area is immensely crowded.
Reportedly, one death and few casualties are noted as of now, more details are awaited; the cause of the fire is yet to be determined. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had arranged for temporary accommodation of the affected families people in two BMC schools near Sassoon Docks.