It’s dark Diwali for several kids

HYDERABAD: Diwali ended on a sour note for many families in the city with several children suffering from burns while bursting crackers. In the city alone, at least 50 children were admitted to various hospitals with eye and skin injuries, police said on Wednesday. At least eight children underwent surgery.
Even the fire fighters had a busy night on Tuesday with the control room receiving as many as 30 distress calls, all of which were related to mishaps caused by bursting of crackers.Two major fire accidents causing damages to property worth Rs 10 -Rs 15 lakh were also reported in the city on Tuesday night when rockets zoomed into two buildings through windows causing a small fire.
Of the 22 children brought to the LV Prasad Eye Hospital, six suffered critical injuries. “All the six had corneal tear and two had to be operated upon immediately. Four others who were critically injured might have to be operated upon in the next 48 hours,” a spokesperson at the hospital said.
At least 25 children with burns came to the Sarojini Devi Government Eye Hospital at Mehdipatnam for treatment. While about 10 of them suffered minor burns, the others had to be kept under observation for they had eye injuries. “Two children were brought in with critical eye injuries and we have scheduled operations for them,” said an official. Doctors said that in some acute cases, corneal tear could cause loss of vision.
The emergency 108 ambulance service recorded a total of 119 burn cases and 307 fire-related accidents on Diwali night from across the state. “Most of the injuries were caused by rockets. In the twin cities alone, we have received about 20 calls on Diwali night and all the injured were taken to either Osmania or Gandhi hospitals,” said the officer in-charge of the emergency service. Gandhi hospital had received three burn cases, officials said.
Three major fire accidents were also reported in the city on Tuesday night, all of which were triggered by fire crackers.
In Begum Bazaar, the first floor of a two-storied building, which was being used as a storage unit of a photo frame shop, located behind the police station, was gutted as a fire cracker landed in one of the rooms through an open window. Six fire tenders battled to put out the flames for about three hours at 10.50pm on Diwali night. The fire brigade did not rule the possibility of a short-circuit for the fire. Following the incident, the residents of the adjoining houses had to be evacuated.
In another accident, a sewing machine assembling unit at Bakaram was engulfed in fire at round 2am on Wednesday. “Four fire tenders were sent to the spot only at 4am after passersby reported the incident to the control room. Property worth Rs eight to Rs 10 lakh was gutted in the incident,” said K Kareemuddin, the district fire officer, Hyderabad. In another minor fire, a tyre storage unit located near Monda Market, was gutted.