Uttar Pradesh: CNG auto-rickshaw carrying devotees catches fire in Ayodhya
Ayodhya, May 27
A CNG auto-rickshaw carrying devotees burst into flames at Lata Mangeshkar Chowk in Ayodhya on Wednesday morning. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Speaking to ANI, auto driver Chandraprakash Sharma said a major tragedy was narrowly averted as all passengers escaped safely, though the vehicle was completely gutted in the fire.
"I drive my vehicle here in Ayodhya, but my home is in Nandigram, Bharatpur. A major disaster was narrowly averted today. Fortunately, no one involved in the incident suffered any injuries, but the vehicle itself was completely gutted by the fire," the driver said.
In a separate incident, on May 20, a massive fire broke out at the 'New Auto Life Motors' workshop near the New Bus Stand Rapid Metro station, leaving three vehicles heavily damaged. Several fire tenders rushed to the spot to bring the flames under control.
According to the Fire Department, the fire broke out at 'New Auto Life Motors' workshop near the Rapid Metro station, the New Bus Stand, Hindon Dharam Kanta.
Sharing details regarding the scale of the damage and the rescue operations, Ghaziabad Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Rahul Kumar said, "This morning, around 5 am, we received information that there was a fire at the 'New Auto Life Motors' workshop on Meerut Road. Immediately, two of our vehicles reached the spot. The fire was completely extinguished in about half an hour. Three vehicles were damaged in the incident. There was no loss of life."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Our family visited Ayodhya just last month and took auto-rickshaws everywhere. 😨 This is scary! Happy everyone is safe though. Police should inspect all CNG autos before allowing them near temples.
Another fire incident in UP within a week. First that workshop in Ghaziabad, now this. State government needs to wake up and implement stricter safety norms for CNG vehicles. We can't keep relying on luck. 🙏
Thank God no casualties. But I think there's an important lesson here - CNG conversions need to be done by authorized mechanics only. Many auto drivers cut corners and use substandard kits to save money. Safety first, always.
A major tragedy was truly averted. The driver Chandraprakash Sharma deserves credit for quick thinking. But we must ask - why did the fire start in the first place? CNG vehicles should have fail-safe mechanisms. Hope the administration investigates this properly.
Living in Ayodhya, I see these autos every day. Happy everyone's fine, but the repeated incidents (like that Ghaziabad workshop fire) suggest systemic issues. The authorities must ensure all CNG vehicles are roadworthy and regularly inspected. 🙏
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