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LUCKNOW, India - A fire swept through tents at a trade fair Monday in northern India, killing at least 45 people and injuring 160, police said.
The fire broke out during a consumer electronics show in the dusty rural town of Meerut, about 250 miles from the city of Lucknow.
Witnesses described a horrific scene, with injured victims screaming, three enormous tents destroyed, and rescuers pulling out corpse after corpse.
"Dead bodies are strewn around, most of them are charred beyond recognition. The bodies were dumped into trucks, jeeps and ambulances and taken away from the public glare," said Prakash Arya, a witness reached at the scene on his mobile phone.
It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze, though a local politician, Laxmikant Bajpai, told the TV station Headlines Today that it may have started when plastic sheeting hanging over an air conditioning unit caught fire.
The fire began around 5:30 p.m. and was quickly put out. Rescuers were still searching for survivors in what was left of the tent complex, which had been erected in a park in the town center.
"At this point we have 45 dead. The number may go up," said Rakesh Tomar, a Meerut police officer. K.M. Singh, the state's chief medical officer, said at least 160 injured people had been taken to local hospitals.
Thousands of people had been expected on Monday, the last day of the fair, to see washing machines, stereos and other electronic goods on display.
Trade fairs, where manufacturers and traders set up stalls to exhibit their wares to consumers and other businesses, are common in India. They are frequently held in elaborate cloth tents set up over interconnected bamboo poles — and often with little regard for safety regulations.
The fire broke out during a consumer electronics show in the dusty rural town of Meerut, about 250 miles from the city of Lucknow.
Witnesses described a horrific scene, with injured victims screaming, three enormous tents destroyed, and rescuers pulling out corpse after corpse.
"Dead bodies are strewn around, most of them are charred beyond recognition. The bodies were dumped into trucks, jeeps and ambulances and taken away from the public glare," said Prakash Arya, a witness reached at the scene on his mobile phone.
It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze, though a local politician, Laxmikant Bajpai, told the TV station Headlines Today that it may have started when plastic sheeting hanging over an air conditioning unit caught fire.
The fire began around 5:30 p.m. and was quickly put out. Rescuers were still searching for survivors in what was left of the tent complex, which had been erected in a park in the town center.
"At this point we have 45 dead. The number may go up," said Rakesh Tomar, a Meerut police officer. K.M. Singh, the state's chief medical officer, said at least 160 injured people had been taken to local hospitals.
Thousands of people had been expected on Monday, the last day of the fair, to see washing machines, stereos and other electronic goods on display.
Trade fairs, where manufacturers and traders set up stalls to exhibit their wares to consumers and other businesses, are common in India. They are frequently held in elaborate cloth tents set up over interconnected bamboo poles — and often with little regard for safety regulations.
