Past Magh Mela fire incidents: Fire dept divides Mela area into three parts

Learning a lesson from past incidents of fire at the Magh Mela, the fire department has divided the Mela area into three categories.

The fire department is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring fire safety in the Mela area. Fire officials are on alert following some big fire incidents in Prayagraj.

Hyper-sensitive fire stations in the Mela area will fall under A category. Sensitive fire stations will come under B category while the C category will include normal fire stations in the Mela area. (HT File Photo)

Learning a lesson from past incidents of fire at the Magh Mela, the fire department has divided the Mela area into three categories.

Hyper-sensitive fire stations in the Mela area will fall under A category. Sensitive fire stations will come under B category while the C category will include normal fire stations in the Mela area.

Arrangements including hi-tech equipment will be made at fire stations under A and B category. Moreover, the number of firemen at fire stations under these two categories will also be increased.

CFO RK Pandey said the past incidents of fire in the last Magh Mela were studied before dividing the fire stations into three categories. Hi-tech equipment and adequate number of firemen and fire tenders will be deployed at fire stations which fall under A and B category, he added.

Fire officials said fire stations under A category with number of past fire incidents are Parade (4 fire incidents), Khak Chowk (4), Sangam(4), Mahaveer Ji (3) and Kotwali where 3 incidents of fire occurred last year. Fire safety officers along with firemen will be deployed at fire stations under A category.

Fire stations under C category where no fire incidents occured are Prayagwal, Prachin Ganga, VIP camp, Tulsi Marg, Acharya Bada, ICCC, Lalkothi.

Fire officials further said that the proposal for 30 fire tenders has been sent to higher officials. Among them 20 will be deployed in the Mela and city areas while 10 of them will be deployed outside railway stations with four firemen and a leading fireman.

The total number of firemen on Magh Mela duty will be 350 along with 50 drivers of fire vehicles.

Moreover 1 CFO, 5 FSOs, 40 leading firemen and 15 second officers will be on duty at Magh Mela.