Video: Andhra Man Sparks Massive Fire After Carelessly Discarding Lit Matchstick, Shops Damaged

Anantapur: A fire broke out in Andhra Pradesh's Kalyanadurgam town in Anantapur district, after a man carelessly discarded a lit matchstick after lighting a beedi led to a blaze that engulfed several shops. A CCTV camera installed near one of the shops has captured the whole incident which occured around 11:30 am on Wednesday.

The chain of events began when a man purchased five liters of petrol from a fuel station and container he was carrying leaked while he was riding his two-wheeler, causing petrol to spill onto the road where several shops and vehicles were located.

The video that has now gone viral shows two men standing and chatting near one of the shops. The footage reveals that a stream of petrol had pooled on the road in front of them, but the men seemed unaware of the potential hazard. As they continued their conversation, one of the men decided to light a beedi. After lighting it, he carelessly discarded the still-burning matchstick into the pool of petrol.

In seconds, the matchstick ignited the spilled petrol, causing a sudden and massive fire. The flames quickly spread, damaging nearby shops and vehicles. CCTV footage shows the panic as people scrambled to escape the fire, with some rushing to move their vehicles to safety before the flames reached them.

The fire caused significant damage, but the quick actions of local residents helped bring it under control before it could spread further or cause more destruction. The locals’ swift actions likely prevented a much larger disaster.

This incident highlights the dangers of carelessly discarding lit matchsticks and cigarettes, especially around flammable substances like petrol. It also shows the importance of ensuring containers carrying flammable liquids are secure and don’t leak, as even a small spill can be extremely dangerous.

In a similar incident in May, a 28-year-old man in Kolkata lost his life after falling asleep with a lit cigarette in his hand. The cigarette ignited his bedsheet and mattress, and by the time he woke up, the fire had spread, leaving him unable to escape. This tragic event reminds us of the deadly risks associated with smoking around flammable materials.