The families whose shanties were gutted in a fire in Dum Dum Park on Saturday evening will have to spend their days and nights at a ceremony house till their homes are rebuilt.

A fire that possibly started with an LPG cylinder explosion and destroyed tens of shanties in Harichand Pally off VIP Road killed a bedridden septuagenarian.

About 400 people, including the widow of the victim, spent Saturday night at Srikrishna Hall, which is given on rent to hold ceremonies.

Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha member Dola Sen said the owner of the ceremony house had allowed the fire-hit to stay there free.

The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation has provided blankets and wrappers to the homeless. The families, however, are worried over when they would be able to return home.

"The municipal corporation has promised to rebuild our houses. But till that is done, we won't be able to sleep in peace. Our children study in schools. Their classes will be affected if we fail to get back home by January," said Namita Bag, one of the residents whose house was gutted.

The civic body has started rebuilding the shanties, an official of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation said. "We have taken down the necessary details and will get in touch with the state government for funds under the slum development scheme to rebuild the houses," the official said.

On Sunday morning, Namita Sana, like many others, were seen rummaging through the charred remains of what was her home till Saturday night.

The Sanas' voter cards, pan cards and Aadhaar cards have been reduced to ashes.

"We rushed out on hearing a blast and could not take out any valuables or documents. The fire spread swiftly. In no time were our houses engulfed in flames," said Sana, whose hut was near that of Lakshmi Kanta Gayen, the bedridden septuagenarian who died in the blaze.

Sana said by the time they could make an attempt to rescue Gayen, who was alone at home when the fire started, the 75-year-old had been charred to death.

Gayen's wife Kalibala had just gone across VIP Road to collect winter garments that were being distributed from a camp of the local councillor.

Priyanka Sarkar, a second-year BCom student at Motijheel College in Dum Dum, said the fire had gutted her books. "My father is a rickshaw-puller. I don't know whether he can buy me the books again," Priyanka said. The civic body has set up a makeshift medical camp outside the ceremony house for the residents.