: A woman was killed while two members of her family suffered burns in a cracker-related accident in west Delhi’s Ranhola on Sunday.
According to the police, Chandni (18) had gone to buy sweets with her sister-in-law and a minor nephew at a weekly market in Vikrant Chowk. There was a fire there due to a short-circuit, and a spark landed on an open firecracker stall next to the transformer. It ignited the crackers, and the trio suffered burns.
In south-east Delhi’s Amar Colony, two policemen rescued 23 girls along with four aged women from a house where a fire had broken out. All escaped unscathed, said Romil Baniya, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West).
In south-west Delhi’s Naraina, a major fire broke out at a firecracker shop late on Sunday. Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and the flames were brought under control within three hours.
In all, firemen responded to 243 calls related to fires of different intensities on Diwali.
“We started receiving calls at 7 a.m. on Diwali, but the maximum number of calls were received between 7 p.m. and 12 a.m., when most people burst crackers. A total of 150 calls were received in this time span, none of which were major,” said another fire officer.
Last year, the number of calls had stood at 290. In 2014, the figure was 211.
Fire officials said a few panic calls were also made. “We deployed over 1,800 personnel and most of our firefighting resources for any eventuality,” said G. C. Mishra, director, Delhi Fire Services.
Student electrocuted
Meanwhile, a 20-year-old engineering student died after he was electrocuted at his residence in south-west Delhi's Bindapur on Saturday.
The victim, Raju Thakur, was putting fairy lights on windows when he was electrocuted.
