Patna: Around 110 fire-related calls were received from across the state during Diwali, with Patna district alone accounting for 42 incidents, the highest in the state. Most of the fires were minor and were triggered by sparks from firecrackers, particularly in commercial and junkyard areas where combustible materials such as scrap, waste and other discarded items had been stored. No injuries were reported in any of the incidents.Despite the spate of incidents, no casualties or injuries were reported, bringing relief to the fire department and emergency services.DIG, Fire Services, Manoj Kumar Nat, said the situation across the state remained largely stable, with no major fire-related emergency reported during the festival.“Approximately 110 fire calls were received across the state during the 48 hours, of which 42 were from Patna. Most were minor incidents and no injuries were reported. The majority of the fires were caused by sparks from firecrackers rather than short circuits,” Nat said.He said fires were mostly reported at places where combustible materials had accumulated, including garbage dumps, scrap shops and other storage areas. Sparks from firecrackers falling on such materials triggered flames, he told TOI on Monday.Patna recorded the highest number of fire calls in the state, which officials attributed to the city’s dense settlements and extensive Diwali celebrations. The use of firecrackers, despite advisories favouring green crackers, also contributed to the incidents. Meanwhile, over two dozen people came for treatment at Regional Institute of Ophthalmology at IGIMS, post injury in their eyes caused by fire crackers.The department had made extensive arrangements to tackle fire emergencies. The fire services department had deployed 4,262 personnel across the state during Diwali, including 375 in Patna district. As many as 750 fire tenders were deployed across the state, of which 79 were stationed in Patna. Additional firefighting teams and vehicles were kept in reserve to deal with emergencies. Special arrangements were made at 45 locations in Patna, with additional resources kept in reserve to respond to emergencies.Among the incidents reported in Patna district, a fire broke out at an apartment near a mall in Kankarbagh, where around 30-40 residents were rescued after smoke engulfed the building. A blaze at a steel factory near Paijawa in Patna City required 10 fire tenders to bring it under control. A scrap shop in Bihta also caught fire, leaving shopkeeper Rajiv Kumar with minor injuries. Another fire was reported at a scrap shop in Maner.Nat said the overall situation remained under control and the state had witnessed a relatively incident-free Diwali compared with several other states where major fire incidents were reported.
