Mayhem In Mathura: Massive Blaze Guts Firecracker Shops, Bicycles; 9 Injured | WATCH
The incident took place in the afternoon at a temporary firecracker market set up on the occasion of Diwali at Raya in Gopalbagh area on the outskirts of Mathura city.
Mathura Fire: A massive fire broke out at a market in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura city on Sunday, gutting at least seven firecracker shops and 10 motorcycles. Nine people were also injured, including a firefighter.
The incident took place in the afternoon at a temporary firecracker market set up on the occasion of Diwali at Raya in Gopalbagh area on the outskirts of Mathura city, police said.
A senior officer said the fire broke out in one of the fireworks shops and soon engulfed others, gutting seven shops and 10 bicycles before being extinguished.
“Seven shops selling fireworks in Gopalbagh area caught fire. Nine people suffered burns. It appears the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit,” Mahavan Circle officer Alok Singh told news agency PTI.
He said several people were in the market when the fire broke out and nine people, including a firefighter, were injured in the blaze.
“Seven shops went up in flames. They had all the required permissions for selling fireworks,”
Raya police station SHO Ajay Kishor said.
“Of the nine injured, four suffered serious burns. They have been sent to SN Medical College in Agra for treatment, CO Alok Singh said. The rest are being treated at Mathura district hospital, the officials added.
Images shared on social media platforms showed towering plumes of smoke billowing from the market’s makeshift fireworks shops as people took cover.
Several shops and vehicles at the cracker market were set on fire in Mathura, UP. Many suffered burns to varying degrees. No fatalities reported. Rescue operation underway. pic.twitter.com/Kv9wYBbZPx
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) November 12, 2023
VIDEO| A fire breaks out at a market in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. More details were expected. pic.twitter.com/KNVqtRg8IG
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 12, 2023
A firefighter deployed in the market, identified as Chandrashekhar, was also injured in the fire incident while he tried to douse the fire and prevent engulfment of six other shops in the market and rescue people, officials said.
“Seven shops suffered the maximum damage. Their owners were injured while trying to rescue their goods from the fire. Firefighter Chandrashekhar suffered burns while rescuing others. Besides them, another person was also injured,” Singh said.
Based on eyewitness accounts, Fire Chief Narendra Pratap Singh told PTI that an electric wire had fallen on the fireworks. “By the time everything could be understood, the fire started to spread rapidly,” he said.
The extent of loss of goods and property is yet to be determined, Narendra Singh said, adding that the fire, in which 10 motorcycles were also gutted, was extinguished within half an hour.
(With PTI inputs)