A minor fire scare near the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple turned out to be an eye-opener for law enforcement officials on Monday.
As fire broke out at a shop that stored hydrogen balloons, adjacent to the parking ground, tense scenes unfolded in the area, albeit for a short while. Soon after the incident was reported by around 12.30 p.m., a team of the Fire and Rescue Services, stationed at Attukal in view of the ongoing Pongala festival, rushed to the spot and doused the fire within nearly 10 minutes.
While the fire-fighting efforts were underway, a large number of devotees, passersby and traders gathered in the area to witness the scenes.
The incident could have assumed serious proportions as the fire broke out a stone’s throw away from the temple’s ‘Vedippura’, where firecrackers were stocked on account of the festival. While the actual cause of the fire has not been ascertained, fire force officials presume that the fire could have been triggered either through sparks from firecrackers that were burst at the temple premises or through cigarette butts that were discarded.
“Any further delay in dealing with the incident could have led to a disaster. We have cautioned the dealer against storing hydrogen balloons owing to its inflammable nature. However, the incident has highlighted the need to ensure constant surveillance in the area, particularly at a time when there is a huge inflow of devotees,” an official said.
While a fire tender has been kept standby at the premises, arrangements have been made by the Fire and Rescue Services to attend to any exigency that could arise. Around 20 fire tenders will be deployed to various parts of the city on the Pongala day, he added.
