Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram): The Andaman & Nicobar Fire & Emergency Services has issued a fire safety advisory ahead of Diwali, urging Islanders to strictly follow precautionary measures while bursting firecrackers and directing fireworks sellers and temporary shop owners to comply with prescribed safety norms to prevent fire accidents, injuries and loss of property.
The department has advised the public to purchase only quality, legally approved firecrackers from authorised sellers and burst them in open spaces, away from buildings, vehicles and inflammable materials. People should keep buckets of water and sand handy, wear cotton clothes and ensure that children burst crackers only under adult supervision. Firecrackers should never be held in hand unless specifically designed for such use. Unexploded crackers must not be relit but soaked in water before disposal.
The advisory cautions against bursting crackers near gas cylinders, fuel storage areas, dry leaves, balconies, windows and confined spaces. Multiple crackers should not be ignited simultaneously, while entry points and emergency escape routes must remain clear. Islanders have also been advised not to leave diyas, candles or oil lamps unattended, particularly near curtains and other combustible materials. In case of fire or burn injuries, immediate assistance from emergency services and appropriate medical attention should be sought.
Issuing specific directions to fireworks dealers, the department has stressed compliance with Rules 84 and 85 of the Explosives Rules, 2008, as applicable. Fireworks must be stored only in properly secured sheds made of non-flammable materials. Temporary shops must maintain a minimum distance of three metres from one another and 50 metres from protected works and specified locations, including schools, hospitals, markets, places of worship, public roads and overhead high-tension power lines. Shops must not face each other, and a single cluster cannot exceed 50 shops.
The use of oil lamps, gas lamps and naked flames inside fireworks sheds or within the prescribed safety distance is prohibited. Electrical installations must be properly secured, with a master switch provided for every row of sheds. Display of fireworks within 50 metres of a firecracker shop is also prohibited. Fireworks must not be stored alongside other merchandise and should be kept in spark-proof receptacles or their original packaging. Those opened for sale must immediately be placed in clean, dust-free and spark-proof containers.
The department has further directed temporary shop owners and organisers to ensure adequate firefighting arrangements in consultation with Fire Services and arrange basic training for their staff through the nearest Fire Station in operating firefighting equipment. Appealing for public cooperation, the department has urged Islanders, traders and organisers to observe the prescribed precautions and ensure that Diwali celebrations remain safe and accident-free.
