SOCIETY

Fire accidents dampen Diwali festivities in India

     New Delhi/Kolkata/Kanpur: Diwali festivities were marred due to various fire accidents caused by firecrackers across India. In Delhi, seven people were injured, including four firemen, when a massive fire broke out in a in a slum cluster in Jehangirpuri area of Delhi last night. "All our belongings are burnt, nothing is left. We are not even left with clothes to wear. We don't know whether any human being is injured in the fire but pets like dogs, cats, and goats have all died in the fire," said Shrikant, a victim. In Kolkata, a three-storeyed factory-cum-godown was packed with inflammable materials like rubber, adhesives and packaging materials, which reportedly caught fire due to a stray cracker suspected to have entered the building through one of the windows. The residents who saw clouds of smoke billowing out of the building immediately informed the fire services department. "Fire brigade rushed to the spot with ten fire engines in the first stage. Afterwards on getting the information that it is a big fire, we have sent 20 fire engines, containing six water browsers," said Gopal Bhattacharya, Director, Fire Services, Kolkata. A leather godown was devastated in a fire in Kanpur's Jajmau area. The godown, which was packed with leather goods, was badly destroyed and it took four fire engines to douse the fire.
-Oct 29, 2008    

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