A major fire broke out at the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday, causing significant damage to several tents but fortunately, no casualties have been reported. The fire erupted in Sector 19 of the Mahakumbh Tent City around 4:30 PM, and authorities believe it was triggered by an explosion from cooking cylinders. The fire engulfed 18 tents, and 15 fire tenders were deployed to contain the blaze, according to Kumbh Mela chief fire officer, Pramod Sharma.
Prayagraj district magistrate, Ravindra Kumar, confirmed that the fire broke out in the Gita Press tent. He assured that the situation was under control, with no loss of life. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site to oversee the firefighting efforts and spoke with officials. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also inquired about the incident from Adityanath.
The fire was extinguished within 20 minutes, and Uttar Pradesh minister AK Sharma expressed gratitude for the swift action that prevented any casualties. Political party Samajwadi Party also expressed concern and urged the government to improve safety measures for the devotees.
The Mahakumbh, which began on January 13, 2025, is expected to attract over 45 crore devotees, and the event will continue until February 26, 2025.
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