‘Nothing is left’: Vikas Nagar slum residents sift through charred remains

Hundreds of residents returned to the charred remains of their homes in the Vikas Nagar slum cluster here on Thursday morning, sifting through ashes in a desperate search for belongings, only to find that almost everything had been lost. Men, women and children were seen digging through layers of soot and debris, hoping to recover valuables, but most returned empty-handed as the scale of destruction became starkly visible in the daylight. "Kuch na bacha, sab bar gawa (Nothing is left, everything is gone in fire)," a woman said in Awadhi, breaking down as she searched through the remains of her lost hut. Burnt steel cupboards, twisted trunks, damaged bicycles, charred utensils, gas stoves and scattered clothes were seen at the spot, while in some places, half-burnt vegetables lay inside kitchen racks.

Coolers, pedestal fans and even refrigerators were found gutted. A dense smell of smoke still lingered, with some debris continuing to emit fumes. In one instance, a refrigerator, when opened, was found to still have traces of fire inside. For many, the losses were not just material but deeply personal. Deepa, a domestic worker, said she had painstakingly saved money over the years to build her household. "I had collected everything piece by piece. Now nothing remains," she said. Another woman said, "I had some money and jewellery. My husband passed away and I raised five children on my own working as domestic help, mopping floors, washing utensils and cleaning others homes. But all my savings are now gone!" A man from Mahmoodabad in Sitapur, who lived in the cluster, said goods worth Rs 2-3 lakh that he had gathered for a wedding in his family were destroyed. "I had even taken a loan of Rs 50,000. Everything has been burnt," he said. Another woman said jewellery and clothes kept in her cupboard were completely destroyed, while a 55-year-old woman claimed that Rs 4,000 in cash --” her family's savings -- had been lost in the blaze. Suresh, a daily wage earner, said some of his goats were missing and feared they may have perished in the fire.

Deepak (25), who earns a living by playing drums at events, said he was away at work when the fire broke out on Wednesday evening. "When I returned, I could only watch everything burn. My motorcycle, bicycle and all the ration I had stocked recently are gone. I am left with just the clothes I am wearing," he said. The devastation follows a massive fire that broke out in the slum cluster on Wednesday evening, gutting around 200 shanties and triggering panic among residents. The blaze, which started in a vacant plot near the Ring Road, spread rapidly due to strong winds and the presence of highly flammable materials in the huts. Firefighting operations were hampered by explosions of small LPG cylinders kept inside the dwellings, officials said. While no casualties were reported, the incident left hundreds homeless and displaced, with families separated in the chaos as they fled to safety. Authorities had said the fire was brought under control after several hours, and an investigation has been ordered to ascertain the cause. Directions were also issued by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to expedite relief and rehabilitation measures. On Thursday, however, for the residents of the slum cluster in Vikas Nagar, the focus remained on survival ” and on coming to terms with the sudden loss of homes, savings and livelihoods reduced to ashes overnight.