Kolkata, Jan 9 (IANS) A fire broke out at the Gangasagar Mela ground on Friday, gutting several temporary shelters on Sagardwip island in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, officials said.

The annual Gangasagar Mela began on Friday, and the fire broke out in the early hours.

Several temporary shanties and tents set up for housing pilgrims visiting the Sagar Islands during the auspicious occasion were burnt completely. However, fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far because of the fire mishap.

According to the district police sources, the fire broke out early in the morning at one of the shanties built from cane grass, which is highly inflammable in nature. And, because of the strong winds, the fire spread quickly to other adjacent temporary shanties and tents set up as shelters for the pilgrims and visitors.

The fire tenders reached the spot quickly and started firefighting. However, the high wind speed and the inflammable nature of the materials with which the shanties were constructed posed difficulties for the fire officers and firemen to extinguish the fire quickly.

The fire created panic among the people who had already arrived at the Mela ground. After rigorous firefighting for a couple of hours, the fire was brought under control, and the cooling process started.

“The fire officers and firemen deputed at the spot are still alert over the possibilities of hidden fire-pockets,” confirmed a district police official.

He also said that, fortunately, the fire broke out at a time when the turnout at the Mela ground was not as much as it is expected to be. Had the crowd at the ground been at its peak, casualties could not be ruled out, the district police official said.

Besides the shanties constructed to house the pilgrims and the visitors, the temporary camps of the state information and culture department, police, media enclosure, and the camp of Bajrang Dal were affected by the fire.

A short-circuit could be the reason behind the fire, according to state fire services department officials. Further investigation was underway.

–IANS

src/dpb