Maha Kumbh 2025: Smoke engulfs at the Kumbh camp

A drone footage shows how smoke engulfs the Kumbh camp after a gas cylinder exploded on Sunday.

A fire broke out in the kitchen of Gita Press camp after a gas cylinder exploded on Sunday. Smoke billowed out of tents after the blaze erupted at the camp at Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. It gutted about 40 straw huts and six other tents.

Smoke engulfs after a gas cylinder explosion at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025.

State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Response Force (NDRF) and the fire department controlled the blaze and doused it by 5 pm. The fire, which broke out at a kitchen of Gita Press camp in Sector 19 at 4.10 pm, was triggered after a “small cylinder started leaking while preparing tea. Soon, two other gas cylinders kept there exploded,” an official statement said.

CM Yogi Adityanath also reached the scene.

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, who was in the city to review the preparations ahead of Mauni Amavasya, also reached the scene, directing authorities to take steps to avoid such incidents in the future. Black smoke emerging from the blaze engulfed the area near and around the camp. Drone footage showed the massive blaze and fire tenders at the spot.

A person fainted and rushed to the hospital.

According to the statement, a person fainted and injured his leg while running from the spot. The officials took him to the Maha Kumbh Mela Hospital, where he received first aid. The person was later moved to the Swarupani Medical College in Prayagraj, and it was later told that he was out of danger.

The statement mentioned that the blaze destroyed other necessary items like blankets, cots, chairs, etc. DGP Bhanu Bhaskar, Prayagraj Zone Additional, told news agency PTI that the thatched roofs of the tents caught fire while the rest of the structures were still there. The affected areas have been cordoned off for devotees. PM Modi has also spoken with Yogi Adityanath over the phone to enquire about the incident. On Monday, in light of the incident, the UP government released an advisory on fire safety to all the camps at the Maha Kumbh Mela.