NEW DELHI: Firecracker-related injuries during Diwali celebrations have crossed 1,100 in Tamil Nadu, while two children, including a 10-year-old boy in Delhi, died in separate firecracker accidents in the country. Hospitals across several states reported burn and eye injuries, with children among those affected.
Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services said 1,116 people, including 309 children, received treatment for firecracker injuries. Of these, 985 were discharged, while 131 remained under treatment in hospitals. The department also received 104 emergency calls related to fires caused by crackers.
A separate 48-hour emergency response tally, covering 7 am on November 7 to 7 am on November 9, recorded 462 burn-related emergencies, 430 burn admissions and two deaths, including a child below 15 years. The two sets of figures cover different reporting systems and may have overlapping cases.
In Odisha’s Rourkela, a 14-year-old boy died in a cracker explosion. Local reports put the number of injured people in the state at more than 100, with over 40 patients admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
In Rajasthan’s Pali district, a fire at a firecracker shop in Falna killed municipal councillor Usha Punamia and her husband. Three shops were gutted. Preliminary reports suggested that sparks from fireworks burst on the road may have reached the shop.
Hospitals in Hyderabad reported at least 67 firecracker-related eye injuries, including one patient who lost vision in his right eye. Bengaluru recorded at least 32 eye injuries, including 13 among children. In Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur, the district hospital treated at least 35 people for cracker and gunpowder burns.
In Delhi, a 10-year-old boy died after a flower-pot firecracker exploded in his hand in Narela on Sunday night. According to police, the incident occurred around 9.45 pm when the child was bursting the cracker outside his house. The explosion caused severe injuries to his chest. He was taken to hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
Delhi hospitals, meanwhile, reported more than 170 Diwali-related burn cases, with firecrackers accounting for most injuries.
Safdarjung Hospital’s Department of Burns, Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery treated 135 patients over November 7 and 8. Of these, 129 injuries were caused by firecrackers and six by diyas.
Seven patients required admission for major burns, including a child below 12 years. The hospital treated 93 men and 42 women. As many as 131 patients were from Delhi and four from outside the capital.
The hospital also treated 35 children with firecracker injuries in its outpatient department. One child required admission.
At the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), 42 patients with Diwali-related injuries were reported by 11 am on November 9. Of these, 37 were firecracker injuries and two were potash burns.
Eleven patients suffered major burns, including four who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and seven in the ward. Eight patients were admitted, one of them in critical condition, while five had undergone surgery.
Children accounted for 18 of the 42 cases. Six were below 10 years and 12 were between 10 and 18 years. The youngest patient was five years old.
An eight-year-old child was in critical condition with burns affecting 45% of the body surface area.
A separate set of cases at Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital in Dwarka in Delhi highlighted the risk of serious eye injuries from firecrackers. The hospital received 15 patients with cracker-related injuries during Diwali, including 11 with eye injuries and four with burns on other parts of the body. Nine of the 11 patients with eye injuries had foreign particles embedded in their eyes, reportedly caused by ‘shot patakas’. The patients were aged between 13 and 49 years, with the youngest being just 13.
The injuries ranged from corneal abrasions and embedded foreign bodies to serious ocular trauma, including open-globe injuries, which can threaten vision.
Dr Prashaant Chaudhry, senior consultant and head of Ophthalmology and Refractive Surgery at Aakash Healthcare, said the high proportion of patients with embedded foreign particles was a matter of concern.
“Such particles can cause corneal abrasions, damage to the ocular surface and, in some cases, deeper injuries that may threaten vision. What is particularly concerning is that such injuries can occur within seconds and may have lasting consequences,” he said.
He advised people not to rub or press an injured eye or attempt to remove an embedded particle themselves. Immediate examination by an ophthalmologist is essential to prevent further damage and improve the chances of preserving vision, he added.
Hospitals had made special arrangements to handle the festive rush. Safdarjung had earmarked 20 beds for burn patients. Seven Diwali-related burn patients remained admitted there, while AIIMS had eight patients admitted.
Delhi Fire Services also received 257 emergency calls on Diwali, including 214 fire-related calls. Twenty-four were linked to fires caused by firecrackers. Seven major fire incidents were reported across the capital, and five firefighters sustained injuries while responding to emergencies.
