Noida: The Gautam Budh Nagar fire department received reports of 58 fire incidents on Diwali night, with no injuries or casualties reported, fire officials said.
Multiple causes including firecrackers, short-circuits and diyas placed carelessly led to fire incidents that were reported at several locations, including residential apartment buildings, factories, warehouses and commercial establishments, according to officials. We used the fire extinguishers available in our sector to put it out. “Around 9.30pm-10pm, a resident informed us that some children had set off firecrackers near the palm trees in our D-block park, causing a small fire on one of the trees. People did not stop bursting crackers till 2am, which was against the mandate, but what could we do?” said Anita, president of the Sector 36 RWA.
A similar incident had happened last year, so we were prepared.
Several fires were reported in residential societies across Noida and Greater Noida. Meanwhile, two separate fires were also reported in flats at Gaur City of Greater Noida including a fire broke out in a flat at IG Park Avenue society in Greater Noida West, reportedly after a spark from a firecracker. Fire service units worked throughout the night, and all officers remained engaged in firefighting operations. Fire tenders had been strategically stationed at high-risk locations based on an analysis of data from the past three years. Following the incidents, the management of Cleo County issued an advisory to residents, viewed by HT, stating that the society had witnessed a few major fire incidents and several minor ones on Diwali night, some of which were handled by residents themselves.
“Reports of fire incidents were received from across the district every few minutes, totalling 58 incidents. These included a balcony fire at Galaxy North Avenue in Greater Noida’s Gaur City, a fire in a flat at Gold Avenue in Noida’s Sector 75 and two separate incidents at Supertech Capetown in Sector 74. Separately, a fire broke out at a house in Noida Sector 61, where a domestic worker was trapped.
This proactive measure proved beneficial in ensuring a quick response,” said Pradeep Kumar, chief fire officer, Gautam Budh Nagar in a statement. She was rescued, and the fire was extinguished, officials said.
