Fire at Asthana mandapam opposite Srivari temple in Andhra's Tirupati; no casualties reported

Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], April 17 : A fire broke out at the Asthana Mandapam opposite Srivari Temple in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, officials said.

According to the vigilance officer, the fire broke out on Sunday afternoon after mats kept in a corner of the temple complex caught fire.

Fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze before it could spread, they said, adding no loss of life was reported.

The staff was alerted and informed the fire department after which firefighters reached the spot and extinguished the fire.

"The incident happened due to a short circuit. Through the alertness of locals and firefighters, we controlled the fire," the vigilance officer said.

On March 30 this year, a pandal at the Lord Venu Gopala Swamy temple was gutted in a fire during Srirama Navami celebrations at Duvva village under Tanuku police in West Godavari district.

In September last year two children succumbed to their injuries after a massive fire broke out in the newly constructed Karthikeya Hospital in Renigunta in Tirupati.

The deceased children have been identified as Siddhartha Reddy (12) and Kartika (6).