The Mumbai Fire Brigade responded to 140 calls regarding fires started by crackers during the Diwali season last year, according to official figures. However, crackers burst during the non-Diwali season — amid Ganesh, Navratri, and other festival celebrations, political rallies, cricket matches and other sporting events — resulted in 182 such calls between January 2024 and mid-October this year.
A senior official told mid-day, “Firecrackers are a major reason for fires during Diwali, and about 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the calls regarding fires during this time are due to crackers. Diyas are another cause of fires during Diwali.”
While 140 distress calls were made to the Mumbai Fire Brigade for fires due to fire crackers in 2024 — mainly in October and November, in 2023, the fire brigade received 79 calls in the same period, and 65 calls in 2021 and 37 calls in 2022. A former official of the Mumbai Fire Brigade told mid-day, “We cannot rule out chances of distress calls related to fires during Diwali increasing significantly. Not all are related to incidents associated with firecrackers.
Due to the proximity to open flames during Diwali, other mishaps become likely, such as accidental LPG cylinder blasts. We have dealt with incidents where a firecracker [rocket] had entered a home where cooking was taking place.” Over 90 per cent of fire calls in Mumbai due to fire crackers are during October and November, according to civic data.
Precautions while bursting crackers
>> Wear cotton clothes.
>> Keep crackers away from children. Adults should be around children.
>> Always wear footwear.
>> Keep a bucket of water nearby, and if anyone gets burnt, immediately pour clean water on the person.
>> Use incense sticks and flower pots to burst firecrackers in.
What to avoid
>> Do not burst firecrackers in buildings, on stairs, or on terraces.
>> Avoid using matches or lighters to light firecrackers.
>> Do not burst firecrackers that fly in the air near trees, overhead electric wires, or tall buildings.
>> Do not light lamps near window screens.
>> Do not burst firecrackers near electric wires, gas pipelines, or vehicles, or in parking lots.
>> Seek the help of an authorised electrical technician while installing electrical lighting in a house or building. Also, ensure that there is no electrical load (overload) exceeding the specified capacity.
Helplines
BMC’s disaster mgmt helpline
1916
Additional emergency helplines
101, 112, 1070, 1077
