UP: 2 cars gutted after firecracker sparks blaze in Gorakhpur; none hurt

Gorakhpur (UP), Oct 10 (PTI) Two parked cars, including a CNG vehicle, were gutted after a firecracker spark allegedly triggered a blaze in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur. No one was hurt, police said on Friday.

The incident occurred at around 11 pm on Thursday near a park in the Awas Vikas Colony area of Kundraghat, they added.

According to officials, when children were bursting firecrackers near the park. One burning cracker allegedly landed in the parking area, igniting an old car, and the flames soon spread to another vehicle parked nearby.

Residents tried to extinguish the fire but failed. Panic spread in the locality as thick smoke and flames rose near an electric transformer close to the site.

Firefighters reached the spot promptly and brought the situation under control after nearly 20 minutes of operation, officials said.

Police said the CNG car's fuel tank had overheated, but a major explosion was averted due to the timely response of the fire brigade.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that the first vehicle belonged to Veena Anand and had been parked due to ongoing road construction work, while the second car had been lying abandoned at the site for nearly two years, police added. PTI COR KIS APL APL MPL MPL