Inspector Yogesh Chaturvedi of Khak Chowk police station said, "A fire broke out at a camp near Tulsi Chauraha on Old GT Road. However, firefighters have managed to bring the blaze largely under control." He said fire department officials have arrived at the scene to oversee the operation.
Reportedly, smoke was seen in a tent of a pandal in Sector 18 around 10.45 am, however, fire brigade immediately brought the fire under control by sending three vehicles. Two to three tents were burnt but the fire has been brought under control.
The fire spread to over a dozen nearby camps, causing significant damages. Officials said the cause of the fire and the damage incurred due to it were being ascertained.
DIG (Maha Kumbh) Vaibhav Krishna said the fire incident has "completely been controlled" by the fire brigades. "There is no one injured in it," he posted on X.
ISKCON's camp was highlighted for its mega community kitchen being run in association with the Adani Foundation at Sector 19. Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and his family also visited Maha Kumbh in January, distributing free meals to pilgrims and offered prayers at Sangam.
Officials here said, the Friday fire took place at ISKCON's other camp in Sector 18, some distance away from its Sector 19 camp.
This is the third major fire at the Mahakumbh besides multiple minor such incidents. On January 19, a massive fire broke out in the Maha Kumbh Mela area's Sector 19 due to a cylinder blast.
While no casualties were reported, the blaze had left over a dozen camps gutted. Earlier on January 25, two cars caught fire in Sector 2 of the Maha Kumbh fair area, but no casualties were reported.
Short circuit in one car led to the fire which then spread to the other vehicle parked next to it, according to officials. The Mahakumbh, which started on January 13, will continue until February 26.
(With PTI inputs)
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