KARACHI, Jan 15: A seven-year-old girl was burnt alive in a fire which swept through a shanty town in Federal B Area on Wednesday.

Three young goats also died in the fire, the fire brigade said.

Police said the girl, identified as Faryal, suffered serious burns when she was trapped in the fire which broke in huts on plot No B-99 in Block-5 of FB Area.

Police and fire-fighters said the girl died on the spot. Her charred body was found under a bed. She might have taken refuge under the bed to save herself.

When the fire broke out, most of the men and women living in the shanty town had gone to work.

Three persons were injured in the fire. They were treated in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

Nearly 40 huts were completely destroyed by the fire which broke out at 3pm.

A spokesman for the fire brigade said what caused the fire could not be immediately ascertained, but the residents suffered heavy material loss.

The fire was put out by five in the evening. Seven fire-tenders were pressed into service to put out the fire.

A statement of the Edhi Foundation said its ambulances shifted the injured to the hospital.

The Edhi Foundation also gave blankets and warm clothes to the affected people. Foodstuffs were also provided to them.