Chennai: A total of 174 passenger cars were gutted in a fire that engulfed a parking lot in Porur area here on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

The vehicles were parked near the Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre, a Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services official said.

“We got information at 2.05 p.m. and six fire tenders were sent to douse the flames. The fire has been extinguished,” District Officer P. Saravanan told IANS.

Thirty-two parked vehicles were saved from being gutted. The cause of the fire is not known.