Bathinda: Two minor sisters died and several others were injured in a fire that broke out in nearly 20 shanties in a slum area of Oriya Basti here on Tuesday, officials told PTI.

Fire tenders were pressed into service and it took them around three hours to douse the flames, they said.

Meera (7) and her five-year-old sister Radha died in the incident, police said.

The fire broke out in a hut where someone was cooking food but because of strong winds, the flames spread to other shanties, they said.

The injured were rushed to hospital where the two girls were declared dead, police said.

Local MLA Jagroop Singh Gill reached the spot to take stock of the situation and promised all possible help to the affected families.