Prayagraj (National Times): A fire that broke out in the Mahakumbh Mela area on Friday morning has been successfully brought under control, according to officials.
Approximately 20 to 22 tents were damaged in the incident, but there were no injuries or fatalities reported. Chief Fire Officer Pramod Sharma informed ANI that the blaze originated from the ISKCON tent and subsequently spread to other nearby tents.
“The fire has been contained. It started at the ISKCON tent and spread to adjacent tents. Thankfully, there have been no casualties or burn injuries, but around 20 to 22 tents were affected,” said CFO Pramod Sharma.
A police official indicated that the cause of the fire is currently under investigation. SP City Sarvesh Kumar Mishra confirmed, “The fire has been controlled, and there have been no reported casualties. We are looking into the cause of the incident.”
The fire erupted in Sector 18 of the Mahakumbh Mela Kshetra in Prayagraj, prompting a rapid response from firefighting teams. This incident follows another fire last week in which 15 tents caught fire in the Chatnag Ghat Police Station area. Fortunately, that fire was also contained quickly, and no casualties occurred; the tents involved were later deemed unauthorized.
“We received reports of a fire affecting 15 tents near Chatnag Ghat Police Station today. We acted immediately to control and extinguish the fire,” said UP Fire Department official Pramod Sharma.
Past incidents at the Mahakumbh Mela have included a fire caused by cooking gas cylinder explosions and a tragic stampede on January 29 that resulted in 30 deaths and 60 injuries. In response, the Uttar Pradesh government announced financial aid of Rs 25 lakh for the victims’ families and ordered a judicial inquiry, with a committee tasked to submit its findings within a specified timeframe.
The Mahakumbh Mela, which commenced on January 13, will run until February 26, with significant bathing dates remaining on February 12 (Maghi Purnima) and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri).
