Fire near Taj Mahal causes alarm

AGRA - A fire that broke out near the Taj Mahal caused widespread alarm before it was doused after an hour, officials said Saturday.

Fire brigade officials said more than a dozen trees were charred in the blaze, which occurred Friday evening at the Diwanji ka Teela, hardly 50 feet away from the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal.

Not many people were around at the time as the shops in the area were shut since the Taj Mahal is closed to visitors on Friday.

‘It was god’s grace that the fire did not spread to the (adjacent) Taj City Forest and the Taj Nature Walk because there is no provision for fire fighting in this sensitive area,’ locals said.