Hyderabad:With Diwali approaching, hundreds of temporary firecracker shops have sprung up across the city, but questions are being raised over fire safety arrangements, with several smaller outlets allegedly operating without basic firefighting equipment.
Larger stores have installed extinguishers and kept sand buckets. “Having a large amount of firecrackers in a single area is a huge hazard. We are in touch with our fire station and kept four extinguishers, water drums and sand buckets across the area,” said Vasudev, a store manager in Ramnagar.
Smaller shops, however, appear to have inadequate measures, with some using flammable materials such as linen and cotton cloth for decoration, heightening the risk of accidental fires.
Firecracker shops store large quantities of explosives in limited space, making safety critical. Even a spark or short circuit could trigger a blaze, endangering shopkeepers, customers and nearby residents.
Telangana Fire Services DG Vikram Singh Mann reviewed arrangements statewide on Friday. The department has issued 7,601 firecracker-related licences and is monitoring compliance with prescribed norms.
He urged people to celebrate responsibly, buy only from authorised vendors, burst crackers in open spaces, maintain safe distance, keep children under supervision and ensure water or other firefighting arrangements are readily available.
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