The Delhi Fire Services said it received 269 emergency calls on Diwali night, though no major accidents or casualties were reported.
A senior DFS officer told news agency PTI that the department remained on high alert throughout the festival, with all fire stations and quick response teams deployed across the city.
“We received 269 fire calls till midnight. Fortunately, no major incidents were reported,” the officer said.
Most of the calls were related to minor blazes caused by firecrackers and diyas. The department had earlier cancelled all leaves of its staff and ensured that all vehicles and fire-fighting equipment were checked for prompt response to emergency calls.
The officer said detailed planning had been done in advance to ensure public safety during the festive period.
“The Delhi Fire Services plays a crucial role during Diwali in combating fire-related incidents and ensuring the safety of citizens,” the officer said, adding that last year, the DFS had received over 200 calls on Diwali night.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Delhi up to thick and heavy layer of smog as the air quality deteriorated to the ‘Very Poor’ category, with most of the monitoring stations marked in the ‘red zone’ of pollution. Follow live updates on Delhi AQI here.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi stood at 350 as of 8am.
The CPCB data shows Bawana recorded AQI of 423 as of 8am, Jahangirpuri had an AQI of 407 and Wazirpur with an AQI 408 remains the worst hit areas with air quality falling under ‘Severe’ category.
The AQI in Anand Vihar stood at 358, Ashok Vihar 389, Burari Crossing 399, Chandani Chowk 350, IGI Airport (Terminal 3) 302, ITO 342, Lodhi Road 322, Mundka 366, Najafgarh 336, Narela 358, Patparganj 342 and Punjabi Bagh 376.
The air quality in Mumbai was recorded in ‘poor’ category as AQI stood at 214 as of 8 am, in Patna at 224, in Jaipur at 231, Lucknow at 222. The AQI in Bengaluru stood at 94, Chennai at 153, Hyderabad at 107.
During the ‘very poor’ air quality, residents might face breathing difficulties and one can develop respiratory illness on prolonged exposure.
The ‘severe’ air quality affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases, as per the CPCB.
(With inputs from agencies)
