Safdarjung Hospital treated 135 patients for acute Diwali burn injuries across November 7 and 8, as festival fireworks triggered deadly blasts and municipal emergencies across the national capital.
A ten-year-old boy died after a firecracker detonated inside his hand and struck his chest. The trauma proved fatal before doctors could intervene. Firecracker explosions triggered 129 of the 135 burn casualties registered at the hospital's Burns Emergency wing, while traditional diya lamps caused the remaining six.
Pediatric wards absorbed a severe influx. Thirty-five children arrived with firecracker trauma requiring immediate outpatient treatment, while doctors admitted one child in critical condition. Hospital administrators had earmarked 20 dedicated emergency beds ahead of the holiday rush. Seven burn patients currently occupy those beds under round-the-clock clinical observation.
Delhi Fire Services fielded 257 distress calls on Sunday alone. Of those emergency alerts, 214 involved active fire outbreaks concentrated heavily during late-evening revelry. Five firefighters sustained injuries while battling the rapid succession of blazes. Seven commercial and domestic sites suffered major structural damage across the capital, gutting factories, a storage godown, a banquet hall, a residential building, and a retail shop.
| Emergency Parameter | Official Count |
|---|---|
| Total Safdarjung Burn Cases | 135 |
| Firecracker-Related Burns | 129 |
| Diya-Related Burns | 6 |
| Pediatric OPD Burn Cases | 35 |
| Admitted Burn Patients | 7 |
| Total Fire Service Calls | 257 |
| Major Industrial & Commercial Blazes | 7 |
| Injured Firefighters | 5 |
Toxic smog blanketed the city overnight. Central Pollution Control Board monitors recorded Delhi's Air Quality Index at 373 at 11:05 pm on Sunday, plunging air readings into the 'severe' classification across key municipal monitoring stations. Visibility collapsed across major arterial roads as chemical residues settled into stagnant night air.
Physicians at Safdarjung Hospital continue post-operative treatment for the seven admitted burn patients, while municipal fire inspectors begin on-site investigations into structural clearances at the seven gutted commercial properties.