Five children sustained minor burn injuries in a firecracker explosion at Gaurang Residency Society, Manajinagar, Narhe, close to Navale Hospital, officials said on Tuesday. Although most of the children suffered minor burns, two were briefly hospitalised for treatment and later discharged in stable condition. According to the Sinhagad police station in-charge Raghvendra Singh Kshirsagar, the children had placed the firecrackers on a drainage line which caused an explosion due to the gas accumulated in the drainage chambers at around 5.30 pm on Monday.
Kshirsagar said, “We currently don’t have the medico-legal case (MLC) report but our team visited the spot and gathered first-hand accounts of the incident. The injured children are stable, and we are in contact with their families, providing all necessary assistance. We urge citizens to ensure adult supervision and take precautions when children are bursting crackers to avoid such incidents.”
Atharva Banatawala, a resident of Gaurang Society, said, “This incident has left everyone shaken. While Diwali celebrations have begun and all nearby societies are brightly lit, our society is in darkness with no lights/diyas. We are just grateful that all the children are safe.”
The incident has shocked the residents of nearby societies as well. CCTV footage of the explosion is circulating online, raising awareness and encouraging caution with firecrackers during Diwali festivities.