Over 700 houses were gutted in a fire in which two elderly persons died due to heart attack and seven others sustained burn injuries in four villages under Hanuman Nagar block in Bihar's Darbhanga district, an official said.

The fire blazed in Khaparpura, Kolhanda, Patori and Ramtol villages razing over 700 houses, mostly thatched structures, District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh said.

Two elderly persons, Suresh Chaudhary and Parvati Devi succumbed to heart attack apparently unable to bear loss of their property in the fire, he said adding, seven others sustained injuries.

About half a dozen cattle were also charred to death, Singh said adding, he along with relief and rescue teams were camping at the affected villages.

Food packets were being distributed among the affected people, while damage to properties was assessed for distribution of ex-gratia among them, the DM said.