A fire broke out at a ‘kalpvasi’ tent in Sector 19 of the temporary township set up for the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Sunday, reportedly due to a gas leak. According to officials cited by PTI, the fire was brought under control within ten minutes, and no casualties were reported.
Chief Fire Officer (Kumbh) Pramod Sharma stated that the blaze erupted in a tent set up by Om Prakash Pandey Seva Sansthan, owned by Rajendra Jaiswal, a resident of Karma, Prayagraj. Upon receiving information, three fire tenders were immediately dispatched, successfully extinguishing the flames. However, the tent was completely gutted.
Repeated Fire Incidents at Maha Kumbh
This incident marks the second major fire at the Maha Kumbh this week. Just two days earlier, on February 7, a fire broke out at the ISKCON camp in Sector 18, spreading to nearly a dozen nearby camps. While no injuries were reported, around 20 tents were destroyed.
Including these two recent fires, the Maha Kumbh has witnessed at least three major blazes and several minor fire incidents so far.
- January 19: A massive fire erupted in Sector 19 due to a cylinder blast, gutting over a dozen camps.
- January 25: Two cars caught fire in Sector 2 of the Kumbh fair area due to a short circuit in one of the vehicles. The fire spread to an adjacent car, but no casualties were reported.
- January 29: The Maha Kumbh witnessed a deadly stampede in which at least 30 people lost their lives.
The frequent fire accidents and the tragic stampede have raised concerns about safety measures at the Maha Kumbh. Authorities have urged greater vigilance and enhanced fire safety precautions to prevent further incidents
Sources By Agencies