Mahakumbh Mela officials on Monday continued efforts to detect the cause of the fire that erupted in the Gita Press camp in Sector 19 of Mahakumbh Nagar here on Sunday.
A magisterial inquiry has also been set up. A team comprising the additional district magistrate (administration) and a sector magistrate has been formed by Mahakumbh district magistrate Vijay Kiran Anand.
For its part, the Prayagraj Mela Firefighting and Emergency Services issued a fire safety advisory on Monday for all camps across the 4000-hectare tent city. Uttar Pradesh director general Fire Services Avinash Chandra inspected the site of the fire, gathered detailed information from departmental officials and said emphasis should be laid on creating awareness about fire prevention in all the akhadas and camps of the Mela.
He also instructed that kitchens should not be operated in tents and huts. As crores of people took holy dip at the Mahakumbh and lakhs of Kalpvasis were also staying there, all precautions need to be taken so that no lapse towards the safety of the devotees occurs, he said.
He directed officials to investigate the entire incident and submit a report. He praised firemen for quickly controlling the fire. A preliminary investigation revealed straw huts caught fire which caused gas cylinders kept in the camp to explode, according to people familiar with the matter. Later, the fire engulfed many tents and huts in the area.Mahakumbh district magistrate Vijay Kiran Anand said that further action would be taken after receiving the inquiry report. Gita Press trustee and camp organiser Krishna Kumar Khemka on Monday said there was no conspiracy angle in the fire incident, as a spark from a nearby Kalvasi camp set the straw hut on fire.
{{/usCountry}}He directed officials to investigate the entire incident and submit a report. He praised firemen for quickly controlling the fire. A preliminary investigation revealed straw huts caught fire which caused gas cylinders kept in the camp to explode, according to people familiar with the matter. Later, the fire engulfed many tents and huts in the area.Mahakumbh district magistrate Vijay Kiran Anand said that further action would be taken after receiving the inquiry report. Gita Press trustee and camp organiser Krishna Kumar Khemka on Monday said there was no conspiracy angle in the fire incident, as a spark from a nearby Kalvasi camp set the straw hut on fire.
{{/usCountry}}“CM Yogi Adityanath had visited the camp and enquired about the cause of fire breakout. Today, we are getting the debris removed and will make efforts to rebuild the huts in the camp. Since the religious texts, including copies of the Bhagvad Gita, were kept on the other side of the camp, it was saved,” he said.
A communique issued by the state government said the Yogi government’s fire safety preparations at Mahakumbh were key in preventing a major incident when the fire broke out on Sunday, with timely measures averting a potential disaster.
Mahakumbh Mela’s nodal chief fire officer Pramod Sharma, confirmed that the fire, caused by an LPG cylinder during cooking, was swiftly controlled due to the fire brigade’s prompt response, arriving within two minutes of being informed about the incident. .
A total of 45 fire brigade vehicles were deployed, and the fire was fully controlled after 1.5 hours and no lives were lost, the communiqué said.
The rescue operation was led by deputy director fire Aman Sharma and chief fire officer Pramod Sharma
The Mela area has been equipped with an extensive fire safety infrastructure.
Fifty fire stations and 20 fire posts have been set up in Mela besides 4300 fire hydrants strategically deployed, according to the communiqué.
More than 351 fire-fighting vehicles of various types and over 2000 trained personnel have been stationed across the Mahakumbh. Each Akhada’s tents have also been equipped with fire safety gear.
Meanwhile, deputy inspector general (Mela) Vaibhav Krishna said an advisory has been issued to all camps of the Mela area regarding fire safety on priority.
The advisory urged people to promptly report any fire or emergency incidents to the Mela control room, local police, or fire stations using the helpline numbers 112, 1920, 1090, or those specified by the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) of the Prayagraj Mela Authority. In the event of a fire, the advisory, a copy of which is with HT, instructs people to alert others by raising an alarm to notify nearby tents of the danger. It emphasised maintaining calm during emergencies and using fire-fighting equipment from a safe distance to attempt extinguishing the fire without endangering oneself. Devotees have been advised to familiarise themselves with the nearest exit routes and use them in case of a fire.
The advisory also recommends identifying fire-fighting equipment for proper use and keeping water and sand available near tents for fire emergencies
Officials have highlighted the need for quick evacuation of children and suggested cutting tent ropes or strings to prevent the fire from spreading. They further advised using water, sand, or any available fire-fighting equipment to extinguish the fire as quickly as possible through the advisory.
For gas cylinder fires, the advisory recommends keeping the cylinder upright, exiting the area, and attempting to extinguish the fire with a wet cloth or fire extinguisher while working to stop any gas leakage. People have been encouraged to fight the fire as much as possible until emergency services arrive and to assist others in exiting safely. The advisory also cautions against storing flammable materials such as petrol, kerosene, diesel, gas, or candles inside tents. It warns against using non-standard or leaking gas cylinders, burying gas cylinders in the ground, or using plastic or synthetic fabrics for constructing tents. Open flames like stoves and ‘havan kunds’ are strictly prohibited inside tents, the advisory warns. Never add oil to burning lamps, stoves, or gas burners, and do not store petrol or other highly flammable materials and avoid cooking food outdoors during strong winds, the advisory says.
It also urges people to prioritise assisting others during a fire incident rather than recording videos.