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17 fire incidents reported in Pune on Diwali
According to the fire brigade department of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the number may go up as Diwali will be celebrated till October 26
The Pune fire department recorded 17 incidents of fires on the Laxmi Pooja day, first day of Diwali (October 24), officials said on Tuesday.
According to the fire brigade department of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the number may go up as Diwali will be celebrated till October 26.
The department reported 21 fire incidences on all days of Diwali in 2021, which in 2020 was five, three in 2019, eight in 2018, 17 each in 2017 and 2016 and 11 incidents in 2015, according to official data.
According to fire department, seven fire incidents took place on Monday from 7 pm to 12 midnight due to firecrackers.
In one of the incidents on Monday, a fire broke out in a 4 BHK flat in Aundh area of Pune city in the evening. Almost 35 people were rescued from the 12 storied building. No one was injured in the incident.
The officials said information about the fire was received at 10:30 pm, following which fire tenders were rushed to the spot.
Earlier, the fire department had said it would deploy fire tenders at 22 spots on Monday from 5 pm to midnight as a precautionary measure.
Another such incident was reported in Bitatel Inclave, a residential apartment in Ghorpadi. Where eight motorcycles in the parking area of the society were gutted in fire due to firecrackers. Many minor fire incidences were also reported across the city.
At, Janata Vasahat in Parvati area a tree caught fire due to crackers. In a similar incident, another tree caught fire near Sirin Hospital in the Vishrantwadi area. An incident of fire also took place at Saisiddhi Chowk in Ambegaon, Katraj. The fire broke out due to a spark falling on the materials kept in the gallery of the flat in the society. In a nearby area, a fire broke out in a closed flat in Universal Society at Chaitanya Chowk in Warje Malwadi.
A large number of high-decibel firecrackers thundered throughout on Monday even after repetitive requests from local authorities to avoid bursting firecrackers considering their environmental and health impact.
Nilesh Mahajan, spokesperson Pune fire brigade department, said, they have kept ready 450 firemen on the ground considering Diwali celebration to avoid untoward incidences.
“The fire brigade department has 35 fire vehicles ready to deal with any kind of situation during Diwali. Pune fire brigade department has put 18 fire tenders, eight fire engines, three foam engines, two rescue vans and other vehicles on the ground to deal with the situation,” he said.
Mahajan said, ‘’After two years, people are celebrating restriction-free Diwali with much enthusiasm. We are ready and prepared to handle any situation. But at the same time, people should take care while bursting firecrackers.’’
Mahajan further said, the fire department had cancelled all leaves of staff and asked them to be on the ground for immediate response.
Earlier, Pimpri-Chinchwad city police commissioner Ankush Shinde issued guidelines restricting the bursting of firecrackers with noise levels above 125 decibels.
As per the order issued by the commissioner, the bursting of these firecrackers is restricted from 10 pm to 6 am in the jurisdiction of the Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissionerate from October 24 to November 23 under the Maharashtra Police Act 1951.
Despite repetitive requests, people in many parts of the city started bursting crackers by dusk. As the night progressed, the intensity of the firecrackers increased, breaching permissible decibel limits.
The air quality in Pune on Tuesday morning was recorded in the ‘poor’ category from ‘satisfactory’ recorded on Monday.
On Tuesday Pune city recorded 200 Air Quality Index (AQI) which is considered as ‘poor’ air quality, not good to inhale.
