KARACHI, April 8: Three children died and four others suffered burns when a fire swept through a shanty town in Mauripur Road on Tuesday.

Besides, a three-year-old boy, Saddam, was missing, his parents and residents claimed.

More than 60 huts were gutted in Pak Muslim Colony, also known as Machhar Colony, a predominantly fish workers settlement.

A spokesman for the fire department told this reporter that according to residents Moosa, aged three, and Shumaila, aged six, brother and sister, were in their hut as their parents had gone to work at the fisheries.

Neighbours said the children were trying to cook a meal when their hut caught fire. It spread quickly and engulfed neighbouring huts injuring many others.

Residents said the fire spread so quickly that the brother and sister didn’t get a chance to get out of the hut and both died in it.

Khadija, aged six, who lived in a nearby hut, also died in her hut.

A spokesman for the fire department contended residents’ claim that the little children were trying to cook a meal when the fire broke out, saying a six-year-old girl could not have been cooking.

“The children might have been plying with a match box that ignited the massive blaze,” the spokesman expressed the opinion.

Those injured in the fire were identified as Waheed, his wife, Saira, Saleem, aged 20, and Ilyas, aged 21.

They were provided treatment at Civil Hospital.

Sources at the hospital confirmed that bodies of two children, who had died of burns, were brought to the hospital.

The fire department confirmed the death of the third child whose body was not sent to the hospital.

The spokesman for the fire department said the fire broke out around 12- noon. However, they received information at 1:18pm and at 1:20 fire tenders rushed for the spot.

When the fire tenders reached the spot, fire-engines of the Pakistan Navy and the Karachi Port Trust were already engaged in fire-fighting operation, the spokesman added.

It took five hours to put out the fire.