Delhi Fire Services Receives 257 Emergency Calls On Diwali, 214 Linked To Fires; Five Firefighters Injured

The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) received 257 emergency calls on Diwali, including 214 related to fire incidents, according to the department's data as cited by NDTV. Of these, 24 calls were specifically linked to fires caused by firecrackers.

The department reported seven major fire incidents across the national capital during the festival, involving factories, a godown, a banquet hall, a residential building and a shop. Five firefighters also sustained injuries while responding to emergencies.

Speaking to NDTV about the department's preparedness, DFS official AK Mallik said adequate arrangements had been made to handle fire emergencies during Diwali. He said 20 additional Motorcycle Fire Response units (MCFRs) were inducted this year to strengthen the response mechanism. Additionally, 15 Quick Response Vehicles (QRVs) were deployed across 20 locations.

Delhi Fire Services Receives 146 Calls Between 8 PM And Midnight

The maximum number of emergency calls came during the evening and night hours, coinciding with peak Diwali celebrations.

The department received 85 calls between 8 pm and 10 pm, followed by another 61 calls between 10 pm and midnight. Together, the two time slots accounted for 146 emergency calls.

According to the time-wise breakup, 16 calls were received between midnight and 7 am, while 36 came between 7 am and 2 pm. The department received 14 calls between 2 pm and 4 pm, followed by 13 between 4 pm and 6 pm and 32 between 6 pm and 8 pm.

The 8 pm to 10 pm period recorded the highest number of calls, with 85 emergencies reported. Another 61 calls came between 10 pm and 11.59 pm.

Fire-related emergencies accounted for 214 of the 257 calls, or approximately 83.3 per cent of the total. Of these, 40 involved rubbish fires and 24 were related to firecrackers.

The remaining calls included 17 animal rescue cases, seven bird rescue cases, five human rescue cases, nine special jobs and three standby calls. The department also received one call each concerning a house collapse and a road accident.

Among the seven major fire incidents reported during Diwali was a medium-category fire at two adjacent factories on Shamshan Ghat Wali Road in Nangli Sakrawati. A major fire was also reported at a factory in C-665, Narela Industrial Area.

Other incidents included a fire at an NDMC godown beneath Safdarjung Flyover, near Safdarjung Airport, and a banquet hall fire in Pooth Kalan Khurd.

The department also reported a residential fire at Saraswati Apartment in IP Extension's Madhu Vihar, a factory fire near New Krishna School in Prakash Vihar, Karawal Nagar, and a shop fire at Chhota Bazar in Shahdara's Main Market.

Five Firefighters Injured, Emergency Calls Lower Than Previous Years

Five firefighters sustained injuries while responding to emergencies across Delhi during the Diwali response period.

According to the department's report, the injuries included burns, a fractured hand, cuts caused by broken glass and injuries to the legs and knees. One firefighter who sustained burn injuries was advised seven days of medical rest.

The report also recorded one fatality and six non-fatal cases during the Diwali response period.

The total number of emergency calls received on Diwali this year was lower than the figures recorded in the previous two years.

According to the department's year-on-year data, Delhi received 257 calls in 2026, compared with 269 in 2025 and 318 in 2024. The city recorded 208 calls in 2023, 201 in 2022, 152 in 2021, 205 in 2020 and 245 in 2019.

However, the department's 12-hour comparison, covering 6 pm on Diwali to 6 am the following morning, showed that 281 calls were received this year, against 283 during the corresponding period last year.

Despite the surge in emergency calls during the evening and night, the Delhi Fire Services said it had deployed additional resources and made adequate arrangements to ensure a prompt response to emergencies across the national capital.