Fire Broke Out At Maha Kumbh Mela, No Casualty

A massive fire broke out at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on Sunday evening following the explosion of two gas cylinders in the Sector 19 campsite area, officials said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to ask about the incident, sources said. The chief minister sent senior officials to the affected site to check the situation.

Akhara police station in-charge Bhaskar Mishra said, "Two cylinders exploded in Sector 19 of the Maha Kumbh Mela, causing a massive fire in the camps. Firefighters doused the blaze. There were no reports of injuries, he said.

According to reports, flames broke out at the campsite, engulfing at least 18 tents installed in the area. A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also arrived at the scene to assist fire officials in dousing the blaze. People living in surrounding tents were evacuated for safety.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak informed that a team of government officials and the health department are present at the site to extend assistance to saints and devotees at Maha Kumbh. "The government is also keeping a close watch on the entire incident. The situation is completely under control," he said in a post on X in Hindi.

The official X handle of the Maha Kumbh posted, "Very sad. The fire incident at Maha Kumbh has shocked everyone. The administration is ensuring immediate relief and rescue operations. We pray to Maa Ganga for everyone's safety."

The 45-day Maha Kumbh started on January 13. More than 7.72 crore people have taken the holy dip, according to official figures available till Saturday. Officials said more than 46.95 lakh devotees did the snan (holy dip) on Sunday.