At least 19 devotees including six women and three children were injured on Friday when a fire broke out at one of the ashrams (mutts) in Allahabad where millions have gathered for the ongoing Mahakumbh.
Four devotees, all women, who sustained over 70 per cent burn injuries, have been shifted to the medical college hospital in Allahabd town, according to the police sources.
Commissioner of Allahabad Devesh Chaturvedi said that according to the preliminary information, a gas cylinder leak had caused the fire.
He said that the fire, that had engulfed three Swiss cottages in the ashram, was extinguished by the fire brigade that reached the spot within minutes.Eyewitness accounts said that there was no fire fighting equipment at the ashram.
Police sources said that the mishap occurred at the Bara Bhaktamal ashram inside the Kumbhnagar. They said that the fire was caused by the carelessness of the cook.
Meanwhile, millions of devotees visit the Mahakumbh to take a holy dip at the ‘sangam’.
A separate makeshift town had been set-up to house thousands of saints and sadhus who had descended at the river banks for the 55-day long Mahakumbh.