More than 380 firecracker-related incidents were reported across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region on Diwali night, including 137 in Mumbai, prompting the municipal corporations of Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai to ban rockets and other aerial fireworks in their jurisdictions. The fires also disrupted Western Railway services after signalling cables between Virar and Nallasopara were damaged.
The incidents occurred on the night of November 8, with fire officials reporting that emergency crews struggled to respond as calls increased sharply after 8 pm. Mumbai chief fire officer Ravindra Ambulgekar described it as an “extreme day” and a “black day” for the department, saying maximum staff had been deployed but crews still had to be shifted continuously between locations.
Two major fires were reported in Mumbai at Dongri and Vidyavihar, while a separate high-rise incident occurred in Thane. At Skyline Epitome, a commercial building in Vidyavihar, three upper floors were severely damaged, including the office of architect Manoj Daisaria. A police patrol suspected that a firecracker from outside may have triggered the blaze, although the report did not establish a final cause.
In Dongri, multiple garages, garment shops and footwear stores were gutted. Local MLA Amin Patel alleged that the first fire engine took about 45 minutes to arrive despite three fire stations being located within a three-to-five-minute distance. The allegation was not accompanied by an official response in the supplied report. In Thane, 50 residents of a 17-storey Raheja Garden building were rescued during an overnight operation. The Mumbai Fire Brigade sent three high-rise special appliances to assist the response.
Firecracker-related incidents also affected homes and other buildings. A rocket entered the bathroom duct of a 20th-floor flat in Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, where residents alerted others and private security personnel extinguished the fire. Two firefighters were injured while fighting a blaze at a godown in Kurla. In Oshiwara, fire engulfed rooftop scaffolding at Maheshwari Bhavan on Monday evening.
The disruption extended to rail operations. A fire believed to have been triggered by crackers damaged signalling cables between Virar and Nallasopara, affecting seven signals. Western Railway reported 14 delayed services on Sunday, followed on Monday by 35 cancellations and 150 delays. Railway staff worked overnight to restore the signalling system and install additional cables.
Mumbai’s Region 4, covering Borivli, Dahisar, Malad and Kandivli, recorded the highest number of firecracker-linked calls in the city, with 51 incidents. Navi Mumbai reported 62 fires over two days without casualties or injuries, while Kalyan-Dombivli recorded 70 fire mishaps, 68 of them linked to crackers. Mira-Bhayandar reported 137 incidents over three days and Vasai-Virar recorded 55; the supplied report said there were no casualties in either area, although property and vehicles were damaged.
The BMC’s prohibitory order, issued by additional municipal commissioner Prajakta Lavangare-Verma in her capacity as chairperson in charge of the urban disaster management authority, came into effect on November 9 and remains in force until 11.59 pm on November 25. It covers public and private spaces within BMC limits, including terraces, balconies, courtyards, parking areas and slum settlements. Thane and Navi Mumbai imposed similar bans on flying firecrackers until January 8, 2027. The next phase of enforcement will determine how the three jurisdictions apply the orders to residents, traders and public spaces.
