Mumbai : The spate of Diwali firecracker mishaps in the city peaked on Nov 9. Monday stretched the resources of Mumbai fire brigade as it received 166 fire calls, of which 144 were attributed to firecrackers. Mumbai’s firemen attended to a staggering 499 fire calls within a five-day period from Nov 6-10, of which 333, or 67%, were blamed on fireworks.
This period accounted for two cracker-related deaths and eight injuries.
From Nov 5 to 10, Mumbai police registered 29 FIRs against 40 people for bursting crackers and launching rockets on roads in violation of a Bombay High Court order of Sept 2026. This season, crackers were linked to 200 of 282 fire accidents, a sharp increase from 80 in 2024 and 113 in 2025. Thane police registered 162 cases against people for violating firecracker norms between Nov 8 and 10. Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) reported 28 fires on Nov 9 and 10, taking the Diwali mishap toll to 90, a disaster management official said. In Ulhasnagar, a major fire broke out at a showroom in Camp 3 on Tuesday, damaging a large showroom. Meanwhile, the deployment of Mumbai fire brigade vehicles to Thane on Nov 8 to assist in firefighting operations allegedly at a high-rise society housing deputy CM Eknath Shinde ’s relatives led to a political controversy.
Six labourers’ huts were destroyed in a blaze in Pratiksha Nagar, Sion, even as a firefighter sustained injuries in the incident. Responding to criticism by opposition leader Kishori Pednekar, Amey Ghole, Shiv Sena (Shinde) group leader in BMC, defended the move, arguing that saving lives during emergencies should take precedence over municipal boundaries.
In Vasai-Virar and Mira-Bhayandar, 48 fires were reported Nov 9-10, mostly at garbage dumps.
Chief fire officer Ravindra Ambulgekar said, “Both Malwani and Pratiksha Nagar blazes were triggered by firecrackers. Local BJP corporator Shilpa Keluskar said that six huts caught fire. One fireman was injured,” she said. No casualties occurred,” said Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation chief fire officer Prakash Borade.
Each of the calls we attended focused on ensuring that the blaze did not spread. Another mishap struck a row of labourers’ hutments in Pratiksha Nagar, Sion, Tuesday. “Multiple explosions took place as LPG cylinders blasted. “Most were minor, and our teams doused them quickly.