Fire mishaps in 51 places during Diwali festivities in East, West Godavari districts

KAKINADA: Fire broke out in 51 places during the weekend Diwali festivities in East and West Godavari districts due to bursting of firecrackers. These included 24 houses and huts, including 15 in West Godavari and nine in East Godavari.

Diwali was celebrated on a windy night on Saturday with the wind speed touching 40 kmph. Crackers drifted from one side to another because of gales leading to fire in many places. The fire accidents continued into Sunday and it resulted in loss of property to the tune of Rs.30 lakh to Rs. 35 lakhs. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

Coming in the backdrop of Covid-19, officials not only campaigned for ‘Green Diwali’ but also celebrated the festival by only lighting lamps to set an example.

However, it did not yield the desired results as many people opted for the traditional method while those selling firecrackers were happy with the last-minute surge in sales. “We worried because of a poor Friday, but on Saturday our stock has been sold out,’’ said a trader. He said that those selling 1,000 walas and 10,000 walas reported a poor show as there were no takers for them. Manufacturers said that in order to reduce sound pollution, the Union Government called for a decrease in manufacture and sale of such sound-causing crackers.

Meanwhile, in Saturday’s tragedy, a poultry unit was gutted and some hens were burnt. According to fire officials the loss could be to the tune of Rs. three lakh. East Godavari fire department officer, Ratnababu said that fire incidents occurred in 24 places in the district and the fire personnel rushed to the spot soon after receiving information and reduced the loss by dousing the fire.

Fire mishaps have been reported from Kakinada, Rally village in Atreyapuram mandal, Tuni, Amalapuram, Mummidivaram, Kothapet, Anaparti, Pithapuram, Jaggampeta, Prathipadu, Peddapuram, Mandapeta and other places. Those gutted included huts, houses, haystack, coconut trees, basket manufacturing and poultry units.

At Atchutapuram junction, a cracker fell on a lorry and damaged some of the oil packets it was carrying but the vehicle was rescued in time.

West Godavari fire officer A.V. Sankara Rao said that there were 27 incidents in the district in the last two days. He said that dried leaves at Kovvuru park were gutted and the fire personnel reached the spot and averted any possible mishaps.

He said that incidents happened at Pedavegi, Eluru, Athili, Pippara, Nidadavolu, Akiveedu, Jangareddygudem, Bhimadolu, Bhimavaram, Chintalapudi, Peravali, Undi, Nallajerla, Palakollu and other places. He said a folded-cot manufacturing unit at Eluru and a paddy shop at Akividu and an electrical shop had also caught fire.