New Delhi. Amidst the lights and fireworks on Diwali, incidents of fire in many cities of the country turned the joy of the festival into mourning. Two people died in a fire at a firecracker shop in Pali, Rajasthan, while a rocket firecracker hit the stomach of a 10-year-old child in Delhi's Narela, killing him. 63 fire incidents were recorded in Pune, Maharashtra alone. The fire also caused huge damage to shops, factories and residential complexes in Mumbai, Nagpur, Jammu, Uttar Pradesh and other cities.
Rajasthan: Fire in firecracker shop, two dead
A fire broke out in a firecracker shop located near the Golden Temple in Falna town of Pali district of Rajasthan at around 10 pm on Sunday night. According to initial information, the sparks from the firecrackers being burnt on the road reached the shop, after which the fire engulfed the nearby shops as well.
In this accident, two people died of burns, while one person was injured. A nearby battery and cutlery shop also got caught in the fire. Two scooties, a bike and a bicycle were burnt. Three people living in the house built above the shop were also reported missing. Fire engines were called from nearby towns to extinguish the fire and relief work continued till late night.
Delhi: 10 year old child dies after being hit by rocket, fire in factory also
A tragic accident took place during Diwali fireworks in Narela area of outer Delhi. A rocket firecracker hit the stomach of a 10-year-old boy who was bursting crackers. The seriously injured child was taken to Raja Harishchandra Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. After the incident, family members created a ruckus in the hospital and alleged negligence in treatment. The police started investigation by sending the body for post-mortem.
Apart from this, a fire broke out in a garment factory in Nangli Sakravati industrial area of Najafgarh. 25 fire tenders reached the spot to extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire and the damage caused were to be assessed after relief and cooling work was completed.
Maharashtra: 63 fire incidents in Pune, showroom burnt in Nagpur
63 incidents of fire related to firecrackers were recorded in Pune, Maharashtra on the day of Lakshmi Puja. Fire department teams reached different places and brought the fire under control. No injuries or deaths were reported in these incidents.
A fire also broke out in the Sai Dynamics TVS showroom near Dev Nagar Chowk in Savarkar Nagar, Nagpur. According to initial information, the fire started in the showroom shed due to sparks from firecrackers, which spread to the lower part. Many two-wheelers were burnt and damaged in the incident.
Mumbai: More than 30 shops and huts affected in Haji Kasam Chawl of Dongri.
A fire broke out at Haji Kasam Chawl in Dongri area of Mumbai at around 9:30 pm on Sunday night. The fire spread rapidly due to the dense population and presence of shops. More than 30 shops and huts were affected. More than 20 vehicles of the fire department brought the fire under control after hours of hard work. The residential areas were evacuated in time.
A fire broke out in the Skyline Vihar building near Vidyavihar railway station at around 11 pm. The fire spread to three floors of the building. Apart from this, after a fire broke out in a garage near Jogeshwari Highway, the cylinder kept there exploded. The fire reached the surrounding huts, burning several huts, an auto and a bike. Incidents of fire were also reported in Kurla, Mulund, Marol, Kandivali and Turbhe of Navi Mumbai.
Jammu: 12 shops destroyed in fire in Nehru Market
A fire broke out in a shop in Nehru Market in Warehouse area of Jammu at around 9:15 pm on Sunday night. Within no time the fire spread to the nearby shops. Due to the presence of edible oil in the shops, the fire quickly took a serious form. At least 12 shops were burnt in this incident. An operation to extinguish the fire was carried out by calling vehicles from several fire stations. No casualties were reported.
An incident of fire was also reported in the District Police Line in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. At the same time, a fire broke out late night in a junk shop located on Baberu Road in Banda, Uttar Pradesh. Due to the large amount of junk kept in the shop, the flames spread rapidly. Five fire tenders were deployed to extinguish the fire. The shop owner has expressed the possibility of setting the fire by throwing firecrackers, although this will be confirmed only after investigation.
Arson in many states, investigation into reasons ongoing
During Diwali, apart from Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, Jammu-Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, fire incidents were also reported from Bihar, Telangana, Sikkim and Haryana. At many places, sparks from firecrackers were considered to be the initial cause, while in some incidents the cause of fire could not be clarified.
The three deaths reported in these accidents include two people from Pali and a child from Delhi. Assessment of the damage caused in different cities and investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.