Prayagraj: Fire breaks out in several ’unauthorised’ Mahakumbh tents, doused later

A day after a tragic stampede that claimed 30 lives in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, a massive fire broke out near Jhunsi Chhatnag Ghat and Nageshwar Ghat in Sector 22 of the Mahakumbh festival area, reported Hindustan on Thursday.

According to the report, at least 12 tents were gutted. Following the fire, prompt action was taken, and the flames were doused. As per the fire department, there was no casualty in the incident.

“We got information about a fire in 15 tents today. Immediate action was taken to bring the fire under control,” Hindustan quoted Pramod Sharma, an official from the UP Fire Department, as saying.

Kumbh Mela Police UP 2025, the social media handle of the Uttar Pradesh Police at the festival venue, took to X and wrote, "On 30.01.2025 at around 02:00 pm, on receiving information about a fire in a private tent about 06 km away from the Kumbh Mela area, the @fireserviceup team immediately reached and controlled the fire. There has been no loss of life in the fire incident. Byte of CFO Shri Pramod Sharma in this regard."

This is the third fire incident during Mahakumbh 2025. The first incident took place on January 19 near a railway bridge in Sector 19, while the second one occurred on January 20 at a tent in Sector 5, reported ANI.

Soon after the incident, the firemen doused the flames to prevent them from spreading to other tents.

Maha Kumbh Mela Stampede: 30 dead, dozens injured

On January 29, at least 30 people were killed and 60 others injured in the stampede at the Sangam area of the Mahakumbh. The stampede occurred as millions of pilgrims crowded to take a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most significant days in the Hindu calendar.

Mahakumbh DIG Vaibhav Krishna provided the casualty details during a press conference later in the evening.

"A total of 30 people have died, unfortunately, in the stampede that took place at the Mahakumbh at Prayagraj. Twenty-five bodies have been identified, and the remaining five are yet to be identified," he said.

The Uttar Pradesh government has announced ₹25 lakh in financial assistance for the families of the deceased. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also ordered a judicial inquiry and said that a judicial committee will submit its report to the state government within a time limit.

With agency inputs.