908 injured in firecracker accidents across TN during Deepavali festivities

CHENNAI: As Tamil Nadu celebrated Deepavali with grandeur and fervour on Monday, hospitals across the State reported 908 cases of burn and injury incidents caused by firecracker explosions.

Despite repeated safety advisories, the festive enthusiasm led to a surge in firework-related accidents, with both adults and children among the injured.

According to the Health and Family Welfare department officials, 584 outpatients were treated for minor burns and injuries, while 324 were hospitalised for more serious conditions. Of the outpatients, 344 were men, 54 women, 116 boys, and 70 girls. Among the inpatients, 248 were men, 21 women, 42 boys, and 13 girls, who are being treated across government and private hospitals in TN.

Doctors performed 85 major surgeries and 380 minor surgical procedures, while 93 patients received ophthalmic (eye-related) treatment for injuries sustained due to cracker explosions.

Officials noted that Cuddalore recorded the highest number of injuries with 29 cases, followed by Tiruvannamalai (25), Madurai (21), and Tiruchirappalli (18). In Chennai, 16 people were admitted to Stanley GH with varying degrees of burn injuries.

Medical teams have been put on high alert, and emergency wards remained operational 24/7. Officials added that most were responding well to treatment and expected to make a steady recovery in the coming days.

Meanwhile, ‘108’ Emergency Management Service witnessed a sharp 48% spike in emergency cases compared to normal days. The surge, largely driven by fire accidents, burn injuries, assaults, and vehicular trauma, prompted authorities to deploy the entire fleet and implement 24/7 response mechanisms across TN.

To ensure seamless emergency response during the festival, the scheduled services of all ambulances were postponed to maintain 100% fleet availability. Ambulances were strategically positioned in identified high-risk hotspots, while Emergency Response Centres for 108, 104, and 102 operated with full staffing in three shifts from October 19. Support staff also worked in coordination with respective district authorities to ensure rapid on-ground response.

According to official data, 7,463 emergencies were handled on Deepavali day, a steep rise from 5,051 cases on regular days. Fire and burn injuries saw an alarming 904% increase, with 261 incidents reported against just 26 on normal days. Assault cases rose by 310%, while vehicular trauma incidents more than doubled, increasing from 835 to 2,578 cases.

Similarly, accidental poisoning, suicide attempts, and unconscious cases also saw significant increases. In contrast, the number of ‘other’ miscellaneous cases slightly declined by 30%.

“Being proactive and framing a fully-staffed strategy helped ambulances reach patients within the required time frame, minimising casualties despite the sharp increase in emergencies,” said officials.