A major fire broke out in the vehicle parking area of Varanasi’s Cantt railway station in Uttar Pradesh during the early hours of Saturday, reducing at least 200 two-wheelers to ashes. The fire, which erupted reportedly due to a short circuit, also affected several bicycles parked at the site. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported.
VIDEO | Uttar Pradesh: Several two-wheelers were gutted in fire which broke out in the parking lot of Varanasi Cantt railway station late last night. #VaranasiNews
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/lqet94Ytzm
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 30, 2024
The fire created panic as massive flames and thick plumes of smoke engulfed the parking area. Emergency services, including 12 fire brigade vehicles, were promptly deployed to the site. Teams from the Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and local police also assisted in the operations to bring the situation under control.
Visuals from the site captured the intense blaze and the frantic efforts of officials using water hoses to douse the fire. It took nearly two hours to fully extinguish the flames, according to officials.
An initial probe suggests the fire was triggered by an electrical short circuit. “There were some cycles that were burnt along with the bikes. The fire was caused due to a short circuit. Further investigation is underway,” said Kunwar Bahadur Singh, CO of GRP.
A railway employee who parked his bike just hours before the incident recounted the events leading to the blaze. “At around 11 PM, there was already a minor short circuit which had been fixed. Around 12 AM, I parked my bike and left. Later, I was alerted by a passenger about the fire. I managed to move my bike to safety before the fire spread,” he said.
Most Vehicles Belong To Railway Employees
The majority of the damaged two-wheelers belonged to railway employees. Officials are assessing the extent of the damage while initiating measures to assist those affected by the loss.
While the fire was brought under control without any injuries, the incident raises concerns about safety protocols in public parking spaces. Authorities are expected to review existing electrical infrastructure at railway premises to prevent such incidents in the future.
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