Delhi records over 300 fire-related incidents on Diwali; AQI slips to 362

The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) received over 300 calls reporting fire-related incidents on Diwali, though no life-threatening cases were reported, an official said on Friday. This was the highest-ever number of calls it has ever received on Diwali during the past decade.

Speaking to ANI, Delhi Fire Services Director Atul Garg said that between midnight and 6 am, approximately 158 fire-related incident cases were reported.

"There were no major calls, but we received many. From 5 pm yesterday until midnight, around 192 calls were logged, and between midnight and 6 am, around 158 more were reported. From 5 PM to 5 AM, in just 12 hours, the 300 mark was crossed," Atul Garg said.

The maximum calls (84) were logged an hour before midnight i.e. between 11 pm and 11:59 pm. This is a significant spike from the 208 calls DFS received in 2023 and the 201 calls it had reported in 2022

He further said that there was no major fire as they had increased the fire force this year for Diwali.

"There were minor fire incidents, including one in Vikaspuri where two people became unconscious. Another incident was reported in Mangolpuri, where a woman and two children were injured. There was no major fire because we had increased the fire force this time. There were a lot of calls, but there were no life-threatening cases," DFS Director Atul Garg said.

"There was a call from the Najafgarh area at around 6:30 PM that a man was carrying potash in a DTC bus, in which a blast took place. Potash is mainly used in firecracker manufacturing and is highly inflammable. Two people were injured. Two fire tenders were sent to the spot," he explained.

Earlier, a passenger and one co-passenger sustained burn injuries after crackers caught fire in a DTC bus on Thursday evening, Delhi police said.

Delhi's AQI jumps to 362

Delhi woke up to elevated pollution levels and a smoky haze on Friday, a day after Diwali, as the city's AQI jumped to 362, largely due to residents blatantly flouting firecracker bans the night before. Most areas in the capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) over 350, raising health concerns for residents. Notably, this year saw the city hit its worst Diwali AQI, compared to AQIs seen on Diwali nights over the last 3 years.

As per SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), as of 9:50 am, AQI at Anand Vihar was at 393, teetering on the edge of severe (AQI between 401-500). Closer to this mark were Bawana and Burari, where AQIs were recorded at 398 and 391, respectively.

As of 10 am today, AQI in Noida stood at 192, which is classified as poor air quality. AQI in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad stood at 318, i.e., in the very poor category, showed data from CPCB.

Notably, an AQI of 0-50 is seen as good and has minimal health impacts. Between 51 and 100, AQI becomes satisfactory, causing minor breathing discomfort. As AQI inches up between 101 and 200, it may cause moderate discomfort, especially to those who suffer from asthma, lung, or heart-related diseases.

As AQI pushes up towards 201 and less than 300, the AQI is classified as poor. Between 301 and 400, AQI is categorized as very poor and can cause respiratory illnesses upon prolonged exposure. Over 400 (i.e. 401-500), the AQI is considered severe, where it impacts even healthy people and causes significant breathing troubles.

Of late, doctors have reported a 35-40% spike in respiratory issues among Delhi's elderly.