Short Circuit Causes Kitchen Fire at Srikalahasti Temple

A minor fire broke out on November 12, 2026, in the kitchen attached to the Srikalahastheeswara Swamy temple located in Srikalahasti town within the Tirupati district. An electrical short circuit triggered the incident, which worsened when ghee kept for making temple prasadam caught fire from the stove and spread across the entire hall.

Response and Safety

Kitchen staff initially tried to control the flames using on-site fire safety equipment, but panicked workers fled the building when the fire grew too large to manage, helping avert a major mishap. Fire personnel arrived promptly to bring the blaze under control. Authorities temporarily closed the queue line and barred devotees from entering the temple premises until firefighters put out the fire completely. Temple executive officer B. K. Venkatesulu confirmed that no major damage occurred during the incident.

Context

Temples across India routinely handle large volumes of visitors and heavy cooking operations for daily prasadam offerings, making fire safety measures and quick emergency responses essential. Quick evacuations and prompt coordination with local fire services typically help prevent major disasters during sudden kitchen accidents in crowded religious spaces.