📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Damnshell
Crime
Fire incidents jump 565% during Diwali celebrations in Gujarat
✍️ The Hawk
🗓 09 Nov 2026, 04:00 PM
👁 14
Gujarat authorities recorded a more than 565% rise in fire incidents during the Diwali festival, prompting heightened alertness from fire services.
The Gujarat fire department reported that fire-related incidents surged by over 565 percent during the recent Diwali festivities, a spike that far exceeds the usual seasonal figures.
Officials linked the sharp increase to the widespread use of fireworks, diyas and decorative lighting, which are traditional elements of the celebration but pose heightened fire risks in densely populated neighborhoods.
In response, the state deployed additional fire‑fighting units to high‑risk zones, set up temporary command posts, and intensified patrols near markets and residential complexes.
Authorities have urged residents to follow safety guidelines, keep extinguishers handy, and avoid lighting fireworks in confined spaces, warning that any lapse could further strain emergency services during the holiday period.
Officials linked the sharp increase to the widespread use of fireworks, diyas and decorative lighting, which are traditional elements of the celebration but pose heightened fire risks in densely populated neighborhoods.
In response, the state deployed additional fire‑fighting units to high‑risk zones, set up temporary command posts, and intensified patrols near markets and residential complexes.
Authorities have urged residents to follow safety guidelines, keep extinguishers handy, and avoid lighting fireworks in confined spaces, warning that any lapse could further strain emergency services during the holiday period.