This Diwali went off safely, thanks to Delhi's firefighters who ensured no incident turned into a conflagration by keeping alert right through the festival night. In this crowded city of over 17 million, no one from the public reported burn injuries either.
"We are not able to celebrate but ensure that Delhi people have a safe Diwali," firefighter Rajesh Kumar told IANS while heading off to attend to a fire complaint in central Delhi at 11 p.m. on Diwali night Thursday.
This call was received at Delhi Fire Control Room located inside the headquarters of Delhi Fire Service (DFS) in dowtown Connaught Place. Rajesh Kumar and his colleagues brought the fire under control within minutes before it could spread to surrounding areas.
The Fire Control Room was busy through the evening and night attending to calls, and fire fighters were sent to various spots to attend to complaints of fire due to fire crackers or other causes on Diwali.
Station officer Rajinder Atwal told IANS: "We are alert and ready to fight any fire incident at all times."
Atwal, who was posted at the headquarters on Diwali night, said the firemen kept rushing to attend to different fire complaints and even missed having dinner as they did not want to get delayed.
"Last year, the men had their dinner at 3 a.m. This year too they ate late, at nearly 4 a.m.," said Atwal, who remained stationed at the headquarters the entire night supervising the operations.
The control room, which has a capacity to receive 15 calls at a time, was decorated with colourful Diwali lights and witnessed more activity than other days.
Sixteen telephone operators, all males, were manning the control room through the night. Their efforts were appreciated by their seniors.
The control room, which receives around 50-60 calls on an average, was deluged with calls on Diwali night, receiving 293 calls till early Friday morning.
"Though I could not attend the Diwali pooja and festivities with my family members I am happy that I could contribute in serving the people," a telephone operator told IANS, requesting anonymity.
Divisional Fire Officer S.K. Dua, who also remained stationed at the headquarters the entire night told IANS: "We have 57 working stations across the city. For Diwali, we stationed 25 additional fire posts near vulnerable or fire sensitive areas."
Over 1,300 personnel - nearly the entire DFS staff -- were stationed across Delhi on Diwali.
"Due to the alertness of our men no fire incident turned major. However, two of our men were injured in trying to control the fire at a shop," DFS Director A.K. Sharma told IANS.
Most of the 293 complaints attended to were minor and put off quickly, but two incidents were big which took a few hours to put down. Around 55 incidents were related to fire crackers.
A fire broke out at a thread making factory in Samaypur Badli area in west Delhi, which took nine fire tenders over an hour to put out.
Another incident occurred at Okhla in south Delhi at a LPG cylinder refilling station in which two fire personnel were injured in a cylinder explosion.
With awareness having spread among the people on precautions to be taken while bursting firecrackers no incidents of fire burns were reported, said Sharma.
(Alok Singh can be contacted at alok.s@ians.in)
