Guwahati | Assam witnessed 112 fire-related incidents during Diwali celebrations on November 8, including 22 in Kamrup Metro, with firecrackers suspected to be responsible for 49 of the cases, according to the Fire and Emergency Services Department. Three major fire incidents were reported from Lakhimpur, Pathsala and Silapathar, while emergency response teams remained engaged across the state throughout the festival. One person sustained injuries in a fire at Jorabat’s 12th Mile area in Kamrup Metro.

In one of the serious incidents, a house at Ambher village in Jorabat was completely gutted. An elderly resident, identified as Ratan Sharma, was trapped inside the burning house and suffered serious injuries. According to preliminary information, the fire broke out while other members of the family had gone to the market to purchase firecrackers. Local residents suspected an electrical short circuit as the possible cause.

Fire and police personnel rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. Sharma was rescued and shifted to a hospital for advanced medical treatment. Another fire broke out in Guwahati’s Panbazar area during Diwali celebrations. The blaze, reportedly triggered by firecrackers, gutted a roadside hut near the Don Bosco area, close to Cotton University.

In a separate incident at Simen Chapori in Jonai, seven business establishments were destroyed in a major fire on Sunday evening. Although the exact cause of the blaze remained unclear, local residents suspected that it had originated in a garage. The fire caused property losses worth several lakh rupees. A jewellery shop, a bakery, a salon and an electronic goods store were among the establishments reduced to ashes.

The Fire and Emergency Services Department said its personnel responded to emergencies at multiple locations across Assam during the celebrations. The figures highlight the fire safety challenges associated with Diwali festivities, with firecracker-related incidents accounting for 49 of the 112 cases reported across the state.