Forty shanties were gutted and six domesticated animals died after a fire broke out near the Harikesh Nagar Metro Station in southeast Delhi's Okhla Phase II in the early hours of Sunday, fire service officials said.

Delhi Fire Service (DFS) Director Atul Garg said it was medium category fire and information about it was received around 2.23 am.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to express his concerns and assured all possible help to those affected.

"Concerned about the news of fire incident at Okhla. I am constantly in touch with the fire department and the district administration, people are being provided with all possible help," he said.

A senior police officer said the fire broke out at a katran (waste cloth cutting godown) and later spread to the shanties. A truck present at the spot was also gutted. He said the cause of the fire was being ascertained.

Twenty-six fire tenders were deployed in total, and the blaze was successfully brought under control, the DFS said.