60 killed, 125 injured in Meerut trade fair inferno

Meerut, Apr 10 (UNI) At least 60 people, including women and children, were charred to death and more than 125 injured as a devastating fire swept through a trade fair at the Victoria Park here this evening, in the worst-ever such tragedy in Uttar Pradesh in recent times.

However, eyewitnesses said the toll might be more than 100 as the bodies were still being extricated from the venue of the blaze, which erupted at 1745 hrs when more than 4000 people were in pandals erected for the three-day Brand India Consumer Show.

All the city hospitals and nursing homes were flooded with the injured and wailing relatives of the victims as chaos prevailed across the city in the aftermath of the devastating blaze.

The authorities had pressed at least a dozen fire tenders into service to extinguish the flames. Huge clouds of smoke were still seen billowing out of the venue of the fire.

The victims' charred bodies could be seen lying all around the spot.

The fire spread so fast that it reduced three of the four air-conditioned pandals into ashes in just half an hour.

The volunteers and the police were seen searching for bodies with torch lights as the entire area plunged into darkness. The headlights of the motor cars were also being used to search the bodies.

The authorities announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakhs for the families of each of the victims of the devastating fire.

The families of each of the grievously injured will get Rs 50,000 while those with minor injuries will get Rs 25,000 each.

Meanwhile, Meerut DM Ramkishan said ''An order for a magisterial inquiry has been given and the report will be available in two-three days.'' SSP Rajiv Sabharwal said all the angles of the incident, including a sabotage if any, would be investigated by the police.

President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi have expressed shock and grief over the incident.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief and former UP Chief Minister Mayawati visited the scene tonight and demanded a high-level probe into the incident.

She also interacted briefly with the relatives of some of the victims who perished in the blaze. Later, she also visited Jaswant Rai Speciality Hospital amd met some of the injured.

Earlier, UPCC chief Salman Khursheed visited the place and urged the people to come together in this hour of need.

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