Avinash Chandra, the Director General of Fire Services, addressed the ongoing investigation into the fire incident at the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj that occurred on Sunday. The fire, caused by an explosion of three cooking gas cylinders, did not result in any casualties. Chandra assured the public that the cause of the fire would be determined through a thorough investigation.
“The police have the authority to investigate this incident. Local authorities are already on the case. While there are many rumours circulating, the exact cause will be revealed after the investigation,” Chandra stated.
Regarding fire safety arrangements at the Mahakumbh, Chandra emphasized the comprehensive measures in place for such large-scale events. He highlighted that the Kumbh area is equipped with 53 fire stations and over 1300 firefighters, supported by more than 300 fire vehicles. In comparison, he noted that the Prayagraj district has nine fire stations and a total manpower of 175 fire personnel, while Mahakumbh alone has 1300+ personnel.
“The scale of the preparations here is significant. Each fire station in Mahakumbh covers an area of around 800 square meters, which ensures that fire vehicles can reach the site in under three to four minutes,” Chandra explained. He reassured attendees that the response time for emergencies is approximately three minutes, and fire and police arrangements at the site are robust.
Following the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site to assess the situation and spoke with officials and firefighting teams on the ground. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took cognizance of the incident and spoke with CM Adityanath on Sunday, expressing concern and ensuring that the situation would be handled appropriately.
(With ANI inputs)
