Massive fire at Varanasi Cantt station: 200 vehicles charred, no injuries

Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire at Varanasi Cantt station was triggered by a short circuit

A massive fire broke out in the parking area of Varanasi's Cantt railway station in Uttar Pradesh early Saturday, charring at least 200 two-wheelers. The incident, which caused widespread damage, fortunately, resulted in no injuries, reported NDTV citing officials.  

 

Visuals from the site captured the scale of the blaze, with towering flames and thick plumes of smoke engulfing the parking area. Fire brigade teams and local police worked tirelessly to contain the inferno. In one video, police officials can be seen spraying water on the flames as dense smoke clouded the area, reducing visibility.  

 

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

 

 

Around 12 fire brigade vehicles were deployed to the scene, supported by teams from the Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and local police. The fire was brought under control after two hours of relentless firefighting efforts, officials reported.  

 

Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire was triggered by a short circuit. "There were some cycles too that have been burnt... The fire was due to a short circuit. We are conducting further investigation," said CO GRP Kunwar Bahadur Singh.

 

Many of the two-wheelers damaged in the blaze belonged to railway employees. 

 

A railway employee recounted his narrow escape: "I parked my bike around 12 am. One of the people near the vehicle parking told me that a short circuit had occurred around 11 pm and was fixed. A few hours later, a passenger informed me about a fire outside. I quickly moved my bike to the other side, and soon the flames spread across the parking lot."  

 

The incident has raised concerns over safety measures in high-traffic areas like railway station parking lots. Officials are now investigating the circumstances leading to the short circuit and evaluating the extent of the damage.