
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Jan 19: A massive fire broke out at the Maha Kumbh Mela venue in Prayagraj on Sunday evening reportedly caused by cooking gas cylinder blast as millions of people have gathered at the site for holy dip at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers.
The police said the fire was caused by explosion of two cooking gas cylinders in one of the tents and it soon spread to 18 adjacent tents burning them to the ground. There, however, was no immediate report of any casualty. Fire tenders at the site to bring the blaze under control as visuals from the site showed plumes of smoke emerging from the burnt out tents.
Fire trucks already parked at the venue as part of the safety arrangement at the massive Maha Kumbh rushed to the affected area and doused the blaze, officials said. People living in surrounding tents were evacuated for safety.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Uttar Pradesh 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. “Two cylinders exploded in Sector 19 of the Maha Kumbh Mela, causing a massive fire in the camps. Firefighters doused the blaze,” Akhara police station in-charge Bhaskar Mishra said.
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 Prayagraj District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar said the fire broke out at 4:30 pm in Sector-19 in the tent of the Gita Press and spread to nearby tents. A survey is being conducted to ascertain the damage caused by the fire, he said.
Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the fire incident and reached the Maha Kumbh on Sunday to conduct an inspection of the site. Senior officials were deployed to the site on his instructions, according to the CMO.
UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said a team of officials from the government and the health department were present at the site to extend any possible help 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.
Kumbh Mela chief fire officer Pramod Sharma said 15 fire tenders were put into service to contain the blaze that engulfed 18 tents.
In a post on X, the Samajwadi Party also expressed its grief over the incident and asked the government to run relief and rescue operations at a fast pace.
The Maha Kumbh began on January 13 and will continue until February 26. Devotees from various states and around the world have been immersing themselves in the spiritual atmosphere of the holy confluence. In just six days of the Maha Kumbh, more than 7 crore devotees and revered seers have taken a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. The Uttar Pradesh government estimate that more than 45 crore people will attend the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela during the 45 days of festivities.