A fire broke out in the Prayagraj Mahakumbh Mela area on Sunday evening around 4:30 PM. The incident occurred near Shastri Bridge in Sector 19 at the Geeta Press camp, where 180 cottages were destroyed in the blaze.
Officials reported that the fire started due to a cylinder blast while cooking. This led to multiple cylinder explosions.
Twelve fire brigade vehicles were dispatched to control the fire, and they managed to extinguish it within an hour. A monk’s cash worth ₹1 lakh was also burned in the fire. Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Pramod Sharma stated that approximately 500 people were rescued.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site to assess the situation, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi called CM Yogi to inquire about the incident. Notably, PM Modi had conducted an aerial survey of the Maha Kumbh Mela area shortly before the fire occurred.
AWT Deployed for Fire Operations: 50 Fire Fighting Posts in Maha Kumbh City
For fire operations in Mahakumbh, four advanced Articulating Water Towers (AWT) with state-of-the-art features, including video and thermal imaging systems, have been deployed. These systems are specifically designed to tackle fires in multi-story buildings and tall tents. The AWTs can extinguish fires up to a height of 35 meters.
To ensure a fire-free environment in the Mahakumbh area, over 350 fire brigades, more than 2,000 trained personnel, 50 fire stations, and 20 fire posts have been established. Additionally, fire protection equipment has been installed in akharas and tents.
Prime Minster Talked with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inquired with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath about the fire incident in the Mahakumbh Mela area. The Chief Minister informed him that the fire brigade, along with NDRF and SDRF teams, managed to control the fire in time. There were no casualties or loss of life, and the situation is now under control.