499 fire incidents in Mumbai over five days of Diwali; Congress questions fire brigade response in Dongri

Mumbai recorded 499 fire incidents in the five days of Diwali this year, 333 of them caused by firecrackers. Ten people were injured. The incidents have led to a political row over the Mumbai Fire Brigade's preparedness and response.

According to Mumbai Fire Brigade figures, firecracker-related incidents have risen compared with the last two years. Lakshmi Puja day was particularly difficult. The brigade was receiving a fresh emergency call about every 10 minutes that day. A total of 142 emergency calls were logged between 7 pm and 6 am on the night of Lakshmi Puja, keeping brigade personnel and vehicles busy across the city.

Ganesh Khankar, leader of the House in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, praised the fire brigade. He said personnel worked efficiently under heavy pressure and did not allow any major mishap during the festival.

Congress, however, questioned the brigade's response to the major fire in Dongri on November 8. Congress group leader Ashraf Azmi cited the fire, which broke out on Dr Maheshwari Road near Dongri police station, to criticise the municipal administration. He alleged that the fire brigade could not reach in time, so the fire spread and caused heavy damage.

Congress MLA Amin Patel claimed that the first fire engine reached the spot about 45 minutes after the fire was reported. Patel wrote to Municipal Commissioner Pra jakta Lavangare-Verma on November 9. In it he sought an inquiry into the alleged flaws in the emergency response system and the immediate suspension of Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar. The letter also refers to alleged negligence and delay.

Azmi also claimed that about 500 small businesses were gutted in the fire. This has hit the livelihoods of traders, workers and their families. He also accused the municipal corporation of failing to spread enough awareness about firecracker safety before Diwali and of not bringing the fire under effective control afterwards.

The issue led to a heated exchange during the corporation's proceedings. When Azmi, expressing concern over the incident, cited a video by actress Dia Mirza, councillors of the ruling party objected strongly and there was an uproar in the House. After the disruption, presiding officer Prabhakar Shinde resumed the proceedings.

Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar has rejected the allegations of a delayed response to the Dongri fire. He said the first fire engine was dispatched within four minutes of the emergency call. He said additional engines were sent at about the tenth minute, when the intensity of the fire grew.

Ambulgekar also said the emergency call load on the brigade during Diwali was higher than normal, with fresh information coming in about every 10 minutes. All fire stations had deployed their vehicles. Because of the heavy workload, many emergency calls had to be kept on hold. He said that despite this pressure, personnel tried to reach every recorded incident.