Crackers and casualties: Firework accidents kill hundreds each year

A Diwali-day explosion in Chennai killed four as illegal firecracker storage triggered a blast, highlighting India's recurring festive firework tragedies

A tragic firework accident in Chennai claimed the lives of at least four persons on the day of Diwali (October 20) after illegally stored firecrackers went off inside a residential house. Unfortunately, such incidents are not isolated. Firework-related accidents are alarmingly common during the Diwali season. Between 2014 and 2023, India reported approximately 1,489 firework accidents, resulting in 1,469 deaths and injuries to 571 individuals. In 2023 alone, 169 firework-related deaths were recorded nationwide, with 106 of them reported from the four southern states of India. Notably, the majority of victims in these accidents were men.

   

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In 2014, 151 firework accidents were reported, rising sharply to 253 by 2016. However, the trend reversed in subsequent years, with cases dropping to 129 in 2021, further declining to 90 in 2022. In 2023, the number rose again to 121.

   

   

The highest number of firework-related fatalities in India occurred among the adult population (18 years and above).

   

   

In 2023, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest number of firework-related accidents in India.