A major fire broke out at the Gangasagar Mela site in the early hours of Friday, just ahead of the start of the annual pilgrimage, triggering panic and raising serious questions over fire safety arrangements at one of the country’s largest religious congregations.
According to police and administrative sources, the fire broke out around 4.30 a.m. at a cluster of temporary thatched sheds near Road No. 2, close to the Kapil Muni temple and the No. 2 bathing ghat. The sheds, constructed mainly of hogla leaves, bamboo and plastic sheets, were quickly engulfed by flames due to the highly inflammable materials used. Within minutes, the fire spread to several adjoining structures, reducing multiple temporary shelters to ashes.
These sheds were not meant for pilgrims but had been erected for administrative and support purposes during the mela. Several camps belonging to the police, the information and cultural affairs department, Media organisations and NGOs, including the Bajrang Parishad, were among those gutted. The NGO camps are primarily involved in assisting pilgrims and tracing missing persons during the fair. Fire brigade officials said that multiple fire tenders, including two engines and five fire-fighting bikes, were rushed to the spot soon after the incident was reported. After nearly 30 to 40 minutes of intense effort, firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading further towards densely crowded areas.
Senior administrative officials, including Sagar block development officer Kanaiyakumar Ray and police personnel from Gangasagar Coastal police station, reached the site to oversee the situation. While no casualties have been reported so far, officials fear that the extent of material damage is significant. “The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. It could be due to a short circuit or some other reason. A detailed investigation is underway,” a fire department official said.
The incident occurred barely a day after infrastructure and facilities for the mela, were formally made operational, and just before the official start of the pilgrims start to arrive. The timing of the fire has intensified concerns over preparedness, fire prevention measures and overall safety at the fair, which draws lakhs of pilgrims from across the country every year.
Meanwhile, the fire incident comes close on the heels of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent announcement at Gangasagar, where she laid the foundation stone for a four-lane bridge over the Muriganga river. The Rs 1,700-crore cable-stayed bridge project, aimed at improving connectivity to Sagar Island, has already seen 80 per cent land acquisition completed, with the remaining expected soon. The project has undergone extensive technical studies by IIT Guwahati and IIT Kanpur.
As the Gangasagar Mela begins, authorities now face renewed pressure to ensure robust safety and emergency response mechanisms to prevent similar incidents during the peak pilgrimage period.