A devastating fire broke out in the parking area of Varanasi’s Cantt railway station during the early hours of Saturday, leaving approximately 200 two-wheelers reduced to ashes. The incident sent shockwaves across the city as visuals of towering flames and dense smoke from the site emerged, showcasing the extent of the damage.
The fire brigade and police teams responded promptly, and 12 fire engines were sent to douse the raging inferno. Personnel from the Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and local police jointly operated in the firefighting. No injuries were reported, despite the intensity of the blaze.
Varanasi, UP: A short circuit at Varanasi Cantt station sparked a massive fire, destroying over 200 vehicles in the railway employees’ parking area. Six fire brigade vehicles brought the blaze under control pic.twitter.com/n4mJpwSAKT
— IANS (@ians_india) November 30, 2024
Video footage captured at the scene showed firefighters fighting the flames using water hoses as thick smoke covers the parking area. After fighting for two hours, the fire was eventually tamed, and there was nothing further to burn at the station and the surrounding places.
Preliminary investigations indicate that it was a short circuit that caused the fire. Kunwar Bahadur Singh, CO GRP, confirmed this, adding, “Some cycles were also burnt in the incident. The fire was probably due to a short circuit. A detailed investigation is under way.”
#वाराणसी_कैंट_रेलवे_स्टेशन की पार्किंग में अचानक भीषण #आग गई लग गई, जिससे कई गाडियां जलकर राख हो गईं. शॉर्ट सर्किट के कारण आग लगने की आशंका जताई जा रही है. करीब 2 घंटे की कड़ी मशक्कत के बाद आग पर काबू पाया गया। pic.twitter.com/hpNAVkrmAm
— अधिवक्ता जयंत कुमार सिंह (@JaintKumarSing3) November 30, 2024
Most of the vehicles affected by the blaze reportedly belonged to railway employees. Authorities are now focusing on determining the exact cause of the fire and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The prompt and coordinated response from emergency services ensured that the fire did not spread to other parts of the railway station, avoiding a potentially larger disaster. As the investigation continues, railway authorities are expected to ramp up safety protocols to safeguard critical infrastructure and property.