Gujarat Plus - Gujarat on Web

Fire breaks out at Amar Circus, destroys main tent Saturday, November 17, 2001

Source - AsianAge
Ahmedabad: A huge fire broke out at Amar Circus put up in the riverbed near Tagore Hall at 1.10 pm on Thursday in the city.

The entire tent, where the show is held, got burnt and around 800 chairs were destroyed in the fire. Though no one was injured in the mishap, one lion burnt his nose and is receiving treatment for it.

The incident occurred when a burning rocket cracker landed atop the tent, circus manager Shamshad Khan said. The circus authorities tried to extinguish the fire but before the water pump could be started to extinguish the fire, it had already spread, Mr Khan said.

Fortunately, the show begins at 1.30 pm, so most of the viewers were still outside and no one was injured in the fire. However, around 200-250 people were inside the main tent who had come much earlier for the show. Mr Khan estimated the loss at around Rs 25 lakhs.

The owner of the circus K.P. Hemraj was not available for comment, as he was busy with the insurance estimates. Mr Khan said they would try and begin the show from Friday itself since they have a spare main tent for emergency.

But chief fire officer B.C. Jadeja said the fire department has taken a decision to ban circuses to operate during Diwali. He said they would inform Amar Circus authorities that they should not commence the show till further clearance from the fire department.

The fire was put off in about two hours with the help of three fire fighters and eight water tankers. Two ambulances were also called for emergency situation. Mr Moin Khan Hussain Khan, a Jamalpur trader who came along with his wife and children to watch the circus, said it was fortunate that they had not entered the tent when the fire broke out.

He said otherwise he would have been hard pressed to keep track of all his five children in the confusion that followed. This is the first fire mishap which has occurred at Amar Circus, which has been in operational since 1967.

News Source : The AsianAge [ The coolest newspaper for city ]

 

This site is dedicated to our friend Younus M, who passed away on 28th Sept 00, and left on us an indelible memories ! - Team GujaratPlus.com

[P] Privacy Policy | © Copyright 2000-2006 |

Designed & Hosted by eZee Web Solutions