Firecrackers spark 43 fires in Nagpur on Diwali night; 45 vehicles burnt at TVS showroom

Fires were reported in several cities of the state on Sunday, the day of Lakshmi Puja, amid the Diwali celebrations. Some were caused by firecrackers and others by short circuits, and heavy losses have been reported. In Nagpur city, fireworks caused fires at 43 places. Three of these were described as major.

The worst damage was in the Devnagar area. A fire broke out at the Sai Dynamics TVS showroom in Savarkarnagar, near Devnagar Chowk. About 45 vehicles are reported to have been burnt. The initial assessment is that fireworks caused the fire. According to the information available, a firecracker flew through the air and landed first on the shed above, which caught fire. The fire then spread to the building. Some vehicles were parked in the showroom, and it is feared that some of them have been burnt to ashes.

The second major fire in Nagpur on Diwali night was in the Medical Chowk area. A fire on the upper floor of a building caused panic. Ankush Kirana Stores is on the ground floor of the building, and the fire broke out on the floor above it. After the fire started, the sound of small explosions came one after another from above, alarming people in the neighbourhood. A fire brigade team reached the spot during the night, began fire-fighting and brought the blaze under control.

Fires elsewhere in the city also caused damage.

In Chandrapur city, a spark from a firecracker also started a fire in Balaji Ward. The spark flew onto the second floor of Kishor Bhamkar's house and a severe fire broke out. The incident, at around 9 pm, caused alarm in the area. The fire brigade reached the spot on receiving the information and brought the fire under control. Household belongings were burnt, but no lives were lost.