Fire Services Department issues safety guidelines for Deepavali celebrations

Firecrackers on display at a wholesale shop at Vajra Grounds in Vijayawada on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
G.N. Rao

Officials of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department have issued fire safety guidelines ahead of the Deepavali festival to prevent mishaps.
The department appealed to firecracker shop owners and the public to strictly follow these precautions. Police teams are conducting surprise inspections and awareness drives in Eluru and Krishna districts to educate the public on fire safety measures.

“We request the public to purchase quality firecrackers only from licensed shops and not to store them in houses. Family members are advised not to keep crackers near earthen lamps or the puja room,” Additional Director of Fire Services G. Srinivasulu told The Hindu on Saturday.

Parents have been advised to accompany children while bursting crackers and to celebrate the festival in open spaces in front of their houses. “People should avoid lighting crackers that create excessive noise or smoke, especially in areas where patients, elderly persons, or infants are present,” Mr. Srinivasulu said.

In rural areas, villagers are cautioned not to burst crackers near haystacks or on roads and to keep a bucket of water or sand nearby while celebrating. Residents are also urged not to light crackers near petrol bunks, LPG godowns, or other flammable areas.

“I request everyone to follow fire safety precautions and celebrate Deepavali with joy and responsibility,” he added.

Meanwhile, police teams in Eluru and Krishna districts carried out raids on firecracker shops in Jangareddygudem, Eluru, Nuzvid, and other areas to prevent mishaps. The teams, led by Superintendent of Police K. Pratap Shiva Kishore, Eluru DSP D. Sravan Kumar, and other officers, also organised awareness programmes on the dos and don’ts of fire safety.