A massive fire broke out on Friday evening near CSIR-AMPRI (Advance Material and Process Research Institute) located at Hoshangabad Road near Habibganj Naka in Bhopal. Firstly, a cotton mattress shop caught fire, which spread to some shanties and idol pandals. Due to this slums and pandals were burnt to ashes. Fire-fighters are trying to extinguish the fire. During this, explosions are also occurring. The information about the blast in the cylinder is coming to the fore. Information about a large number of idols of gods and goddesses being kept in the pandal is coming to the fore.

Fire broke out at 6.40 pm, which could not be extinguished till the filing of this report. As per an eyewitness, cotton mattress shop was the first to catch fire. There was no water to extinguish it. Because of this the fire spread. There were many slums and idol-making pandals nearby, which were burnt to ashes. In the preliminary information, information about 15 slums being burnt due to fire is coming to the fore. At the same time, many idols kept in the pandal have also been burnt to ashes. Due to wood, plastic and foil, the fire spread more. Fire engines from Mata Mandir, ISBT, Govindpura and Pul Bogda reached the spot as soon as the fire was reported. At the same time, tankers have also reached.

A civic body worker Nafees, who reached from Mata Mandir fire station to extinguish the fire, told that the slums were completely gutted. The pandal was also turned into ashes. The sounds of explosions are coming from inside. Probably gas cylinders were kept inside the slums. There have been blasts three to four times. At present, there is no information of any kind of loss of life.