Tourist dies after being trapped in Udaipur forest fire

Udaipur: A tourist from Ratlam who was trapped in a forest fire in Udaipur and rescued by fire department personnel Monday evening died Tuesday morning during treatment at MB Hospital here. The fire, which broke out Monday, reduced about 3 hectares of forest in Bahubali Hill area to ashes. The fire department said the blaze was brought under control late at night.According to information, Makhan Singh (33), a tourist from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, was trapped in the forest fire after he went to the hill alone at night for a walk. He called the emergency number to report the fire. By the time rescue teams reached the spot, he had fallen unconscious.He was admitted to the govt-run Maharana Bhupal (MB) Hospital in an unconscious state, where he breathed his last Tuesday morning. Hospital superintendent Dr R L Suman said the primary cause of death was suffocation due to the fire. Bahubali Hill is a forest area located near Badi Lake. Tourists come to this hill for trekking, and in recent times the area has become popular for pre-wedding photo shoots. According to forest officials, several rare plant species are found in this forest, and they, too, suffered damage due to the fire.