Four people died and dozens of shops and homes were damaged as fire and firecracker accidents were reported from Rajasthan to Jammu, Maharashtra and Delhi on Diwali night.
A series of fire and firecracker accidents was reported across India during Diwali, killing four people and leaving a trail of damaged shops, homes and vehicles in several cities.
Two killed in Rajasthan firecracker shop blaze
The worst incident took place in Falna town in Rajasthan's Pali district, where a firecracker shop caught fire at around 10 pm on Sunday. Two people were killed in the blaze, and three others were reported missing after the fire.
Firefighters and local residents rushed to the spot as the flames spread through the shop, which was stocked with firecrackers for Diwali. The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, and officials were still searching for the missing people when the reports came in.
In outer Delhi's Narela, a 10-year-old boy died after a rocket firecracker struck him in the stomach. The boy was taken to hospital but could not be saved, in one of the most tragic incidents of the night.
Pune reports 63 fire incidents
Pune reported 63 fire incidents on Laxmi Pujan, the main day of Diwali celebrations, though no casualties were reported in the city. Fire services were kept busy through the night as small blazes broke out in different parts of the city, most of them linked to firecrackers.
In Nagpur, a TVS showroom caught fire, adding to the list of commercial properties damaged during the festival. A government quarter also burned in Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, in another Diwali night fire.
A 17-storey building caught fire in Thane's Wagle Estate area, forcing residents to evacuate as firefighters worked to bring the flames under control. No casualties were reported from the building fire.
Jammu market and Mumbai blazes
In Jammu, at least 12 shops were gutted in the historic Nehru Market after a fire started at about 9.15 pm. No casualties were reported, but traders suffered heavy losses as the flames spread through the market, one of the oldest shopping areas in the city.
In Banda in Uttar Pradesh, a scrap shop was gutted in a fire. The owner has alleged arson and put the losses at Rs 20 to 25 lakh, though the cause of the fire had not been officially confirmed.
Mumbai saw some of the most serious blazes of the night. A major fire engulfed shops and hutments in Dongri, while another fire broke out at Kamgar Stadium in Dadar. A high-rise blaze in Lokhandwala on Saturday night claimed one life, taking the total death toll from the Diwali fires to four.
A familiar Diwali pattern
Fire services across the country were on high alert through Diwali night, as they are every year, with firecracker-related calls rising sharply on Laxmi Pujan. Officials have repeatedly warned people to handle firecrackers with care and to keep them away from shops, homes and crowded areas.
The incidents reported this year follow a familiar pattern, with most fires linked to firecrackers or to shops and godowns stocked with inflammable material. Authorities in several cities had issued advisories before the festival, urging people to burst crackers only in open spaces and to keep water and first aid ready.
As the festival wound down, fire departments continued to assess the damage and investigate the causes of the bigger blazes, including the market fires in Jammu and Mumbai and the fatal shop fire in Pali.
