Delhi Hospitals Treat Over 60 Burn Injury Cases Following Diwali Firecracker Accidents

The majority of burn injury patients were between 10 and 40 years of age.

New Delhi:

Multiple hospitals across the national capital reported a significant increase in burn injuries following Diwali celebrations on Tuesday, with numerous patients requiring medical attention due to firecracker-related accidents.

According to statistics from the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Burns Surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), they recorded 60 burn cases between October 19 and October 21, with 33 incidents specifically occurring on Diwali night.

The demographic most affected were individuals between 10 and 40 years of age.

Of all cases reported, 29 patients required hospitalization, including 10 who needed intensive care unit admission. Furthermore, 11 cases involved injuries that threatened life or limbs.

At least 48 incidents were directly related to firecracker accidents, including various hand injuries, with 13 cases resulting in partial or complete finger or limb loss. Eye injuries affected 16 patients, with three suffering damage to both eyes.

Fortunately, no fatalities were recorded during the monitoring period.

Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital reported comparable trends, with 10 patients admitted for burn injuries during Diwali, while 68 additional patients sought outpatient treatment for minor burns and related issues.

"Yesterday, several patients were admitted with burn injuries due to cracker bursting," stated Dr Pulin Gupta, Director of Medicine at RML, noting that one patient remained in critical condition, and two were receiving treatment in the ICU.

Dr Gupta mentioned that their oldest patient was 52 years old, while the youngest was just 18 months old.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) received 269 emergency calls on Diwali night, representing a nearly 15 percent reduction compared to last year's 318 calls, according to an official statement reported by news agency PTI.

Last year's Diwali night had witnessed 318 fire-related emergency calls, marking the highest number since 2011.