Bihar: Two killed, over 80 injured in fire-related incidents on Diwali night

The state fire services department responded to over 300 calls, including for blazes at garbage dumps due to bursting of crackers

At least two people were killed, and 80 others were injured across Bihar in fire-related incidents on Diwali, officials said on Monday. The state fire services department responded to over 300 calls, including for blazes at garbage dumps due to bursting of crackers.

The first incident was reported from Siwan, where 18 persons including seven fire department personnel and a police assistant sub-inspector, suffered burn injuries. All the eight personnel were referred to Patna medical college and hospital from Siwan sadar hospital, while two civilians were rushed to Gorakhpur medical college and hospital in Uttar Pradesh.

“The director general-cum-commandant general of Home Guard and Fire Services is personally monitor the incident. All personnel are currently undergoing treatment,” said additional director-cum-assistant state fire officer Rakesh Kumar.

According to some reports, a fire broke out at Sheela Market in Siwan around 10pm while people were bursting crackers. Two fire tenders were rushed to the spot to rescue the owners and employees of the shops. However, the fire quickly spread to a pile of lubricants in a shop, causing an explosion and injuring 18 people. Locals immediately rushed them to a primary health centre but the doctors referred those injured to the Siwan district hospital.

Meanwhile, five minors suffered firecracker burn injuries on their faces in Gopalganj. The police said that one of the injured has been referred to Gorakhpur hospital in critical condition.

In Bhojpur, over a dozen people sustained critical burn injuries. One of the injured told HT that they suffered severe injuries, and that all of them were bursting firecrackers. One of the firecrackers exploded, resulting in critical injuries.

Elsewhere in Patna Sahib, a fire broke out at a footwear factory and godown in Hajari Mohalla area. Two employees, identified as Mukesh Das and Mahadev Das, were asleep at the time of the incident on the first floor and were charred to death. Locals believe that the fire was caused due to a Diwali rocket that landed inside the building.

More such incidents were also reported from Muzaffarpur, Katihar, Samastipur, Madhepura, Sitamarhi Aurangabad, Saran, rural Patna, Bagaha, Buxar, Nawada and Lakhisarai.