Fire at Maha Kumbh; 19 injured, two pandals gutted

ALLAHABAD: A fire broke out at the Maha Kumbh congregation here today, injuring at least 19 people, some of them seriously, and gutting a couple of "pandals", officials said.

"The fire broke out at a pandal erected in Sector 11 of the Kumbh Mela area and soon engulfed an adjacent tent.

The fire was brought under control after half an hour of fire-fighting though by that time both the tents were gutted, Mela Officer Mani Prasad Mishra told reporters.

He said 19 persons, including two women, have suffered burn injuries.

Some of the seriously injured persons have been referred to a hospital in the city while the rest are undergoing treatment at a temporary hospital set up at the Kumbh Mela ground, Mishra said.

Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner Devesh Chaturvedi said "prima facie, the fire appears to have been caused by leakage in a gas cylinder.

Though medical facilities are adequate at the Mela ground, those with serious injuries are being referred to SRN Hospital as a precautionary measure".