Ujjain Mahakal Temple Fire: Blast in Pollution Control Board's Batteries Halts 'Darshan'

A massive fire broke out at Ujjain's Mahakal Temple in Madhya Pradesh on Monday, May 5. The blaze erupted following an explosion in a pollution control board device at the facility centre. 'Darshan' at the temple was temporarily halted. After receiving the distress call, three fire brigade vehicles reached the spot and brought the fire under control. No casualties were reported during the incident. Senior officials of the Mahakal Temple Committee arrived at the scene and took stock of the situation. A video shared by the news agency PTI showed smoke and flames visible from about 1 km away.

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“Fifteen minutes ago, the batteries of the Pollution Control Board's air quality management system exploded, which caused the fire. The system is located above the temple's control room. Fire tenders reached the site quickly and controlled the blaze. There are no casualties. Since the fire occurred near the control room, 'darshan' was temporarily halted,” said Ujjain Collector Roshan Singh.

Battery Blast at Ujjain Mahakal Temple

VIDEO | Fire breaks out in device of pollution control board at the facility centre of Mahakal Temple in Ujjain. The 'darshan' at temple was halted for some time. More details are awaited. #Fire#Ujjain#MahakalTemplepic.twitter.com/1ghau6ghfF

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 5, 2025

There was a large crowd at the temple at the time of the incident, as Mondays typically see higher footfall. According to Mahakal Temple Administrator Pratham Kaushik, the air quality management system is installed on the roof. The fire was caused by a malfunction in the system’s battery. Only the batteries were damaged in the incident.