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Massive fire at Varanasi railway station parking, over 200 vehicles gutted
The fire at Varanasi's Cantt railway station was reportedly triggered by a short circuit. After a two-hour operation, the flames were brought under control.
A massive fire engulfed the vehicle parking area of Varanasi's Cantt railway station in Uttar Pradesh in the early hours of Saturday. At least 200 two-wheelers were destroyed in the fire.
Dramatic footage emerged from the fire spot in Varanasi where towering flames can be seen consuming the parking lot as the fire brigade and police officials worked tirelessly to extinguish the blaze.
According to an NDTV report, the fire department managed to extinguish and control the flames after a two-hour operation.
The police team was also deployed in the operation and used a water hose to combat the inferno, which was surrounded by thick smoke and haze, the report further stated.
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Emergency response teams quickly mobilised, with around 12 fire brigade vehicles arriving on the scene, accompanied by personnel from the Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and local police. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries stemming from this alarming incident.
What was the cause of the fire?
Initial investigations have revealed that a short circuit likely caused the fire.
Eyewitnesses said that a short circuit occurred around 10.30 pm on Saturday after which electricians were called to fix the same, however, another short circuit occurred a few hours later.
This second incident caused sparks to ignite petrol in one of the motorcycles, triggering the fire.
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"Some bicycles were also caught in the flames," noted CO GRP Kunwar Bahadur Singh, who confirmed that they are pursuing a thorough investigation. Many of the vehicles destroyed belonged to railway employees, highlighting the personal impact of this disaster.
"I parked my bike around midnight. Earlier, there had been a short circuit reported around 11 pm, which was fixed. A few hours later, I learned from a fellow passenger about the massive fire. I quickly moved my bike to safety. Unfortunately, the flames spread rapidly across the lot," one railway worker told NDTV.
