Fire breaks out again at Prayagraj Maha Kumbh Mela; 5th incident in a month
PTC Web Desk: A fire broke out once again at the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh Mela, this time in Sector-8. However, the flames were swiftly controlled by the fire brigade personnel, preventing a major disaster. This marks the fifth fire incident within a month at the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela.
Fire incidents at Maha Kumbh Mela so far:
19 January: A fire in Sector 19 destroyed 180 cottages at the Geeta Press camp
30 January: A blaze in Sector 22 led to the destruction of 15 tents
7 February: Another fire in Sector 18 at Shankaracharya Marg consumed 22 pandals
15 February: A fire erupted again in Sector 18-19, which was promptly extinguished
17 February: The fire in Sector-8 was successfully controlled by the firefighting teams
The Maha Kumbh Mela is witnessing an overwhelming turnout this year, with 92.5 million devotees having taken a holy dip by 2 pm. The entry points to Prayagraj are clogged, leading to the closure of all seven entry points. Due to the massive crowd, the Daraganj Sangam Station has been temporarily shut down until 26 February.
In response to the heavy rush, the vehicle entry into the Mela area has been restricted, with all passes cancelled. The routes of 19 trains passing through Prayagraj have been altered. Vehicles are being stopped at parking lots 10-12 km away from the Sangam, forcing pilgrims to walk the rest of the way.
Meanwhile, the Kashi Tamil Sangamam group from Tamil Nadu joined the Kumbh celebrations, taking a collective dip at the Sangam today. As of today, the 36th day of the Kumbh Mela, a total of 53.88 crore devotees have taken the holy dip since the festival commenced on 13 January.
- With inputs from agencies
