Diwali 2026: Mumbai logs 142 fires, 137 from firecrackers; Pune records 94
Synopsis
Mumbai's fire brigade handled 142 Diwali blazes — 137 of them traced directly to firecrackers — while Pune recorded 94 fires during Laxmi Pujan, its highest count in six years. Despite the volume of incidents across both cities, no major casualties were reported, but Pune's sharp spike from 43 fires in 2025 to 94 in 2026 raises hard questions about festive fire preparedness.
Key Takeaways
Mumbai recorded 142 fire incidents during Diwali 2026 , of which 137 were attributed to firecrackers by the Mumbai Fire Brigade .
Pune logged 94 fires during Laxmi Pujan — the highest figure in at least six years , up from 43 in 2025 .
No major casualties were reported in either city across the Diwali-linked incidents.
Three separate fires in Vidyavihar , Dongri , and Jogeshwari remain under police investigation, with causes not yet officially established.
Pune's fire count has risen sharply: 21 (2021) → 19 (2022) → 35 (2023) → 60 (2024) → 43 (2025) → 94 (2026) .
Mumbai and Pune fire services were stretched to capacity during Diwali 2026, with Mumbai recording 142 fire incidents — of which 137 were directly attributed to firecrackers — and Pune logging 94 fires during Laxmi Pujan, according to respective fire department figures. No major casualties were reported in either city.
Pune Fire Incidents: A Six-Year High
Pune's 94 fire incidents during Laxmi Pujan 2026 represent the highest annual Diwali fire count the city has recorded in at least six years, according to fire department data. The figures show a sharp upward trend: 21 incidents in 2021, 19 in 2022, 35 in 2023, 60 in 2024, and 43 in 2025, before spiking to 94 this year.
Fires were reported across multiple areas including Satara Road, Mangalwar Peth, and Range Hills. A printing shop on Satara Road caught fire in one of the more significant incidents, while a godown in Mangalwar Peth also went up in flames. In Range Hills, a residential flat fire prompted a response from both fire tenders and police personnel.
Residents reportedly suspected that firecrackers triggered several of the incidents. However, the causes of individual fires have not been officially established, and fire brigade teams brought all blazes under control without any major casualties.
Mumbai: 137 of 142 Diwali Fires Traced to Firecrackers
The Mumbai Fire Brigade responded to 142 fire incidents during Diwali, confirming that 137 — over 96% — were caused by firecrackers. No injuries were reported in any of these incidents, offering some relief despite the volume of emergency calls the brigade fielded during the celebrations.
The city's fire services managed to contain all incidents, though the sheer number of simultaneous calls during the festive period placed significant pressure on response teams.
Separate Blazes in Vidyavihar, Dongri, Jogeshwari Under Probe
Apart from the Diwali-linked fires, three separate incidents were reported from Vidyavihar, Dongri, and Jogeshwari on Sunday night. Mumbai Police confirmed that the causes of these particular fires had not yet been determined and that investigations were underway.
In an official statement, police said: 'The fire incidents mentioned are under enquiry, and their causes have not yet been determined. Once the exact causes are established, appropriate action will be taken.'
These three fires are distinct from the 142 Diwali incidents logged by the Mumbai Fire Brigade, and their causes remain officially open.
What the Numbers Reveal
This comes amid a broader national pattern of firecracker-related fire calls spiking during Diwali, particularly in dense urban zones. Pune's sharp jump — from 43 incidents in 2025 to 94 in 2026 — is notably steep and may invite scrutiny of festive fire preparedness and enforcement of firecracker regulations. Mumbai's data, while not accompanied by a year-on-year comparison, underlines the structural challenge: when 137 out of 142 fires trace back to a single identifiable cause, the prevention case becomes difficult to dismiss.
Authorities in both cities are expected to review response protocols and firecracker-related regulations ahead of next year's festive season.
Point of View
And mainstream coverage risks burying it under the larger Mumbai figures. It demands a sharper look at whether festive fire preparedness has kept pace with urbanisation and increased firecracker use. Mumbai's statistic that 137 of 142 fires had a single, identifiable cause should make the case for stricter firecracker regulation almost self-evident, yet year after year the same pattern repeats. The absence of casualties is fortunate, but framing 'no deaths' as the success metric obscures how much pressure these incidents place on emergency services — and how close outcomes could have been in densely populated neighbourhoods like Dongri and Vidyavihar.
NationPress
9 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many fires were reported in Mumbai during Diwali 2026?
Mumbai recorded 142 fire incidents during Diwali 2026, according to the Mumbai Fire Brigade. Of these, 137 were directly attributed to firecrackers, and no injuries were reported in any of the incidents.
How many fires did Pune record during Laxmi Pujan 2026?
Pune logged 94 fires during Laxmi Pujan 2026 — the highest Diwali fire count the city has recorded in at least six years. This compares to 43 incidents in 2025 and 60 in 2024, according to Pune fire department data.
Were any casualties reported in the Diwali fires in Mumbai or Pune?
No major casualties were reported in either city from the Diwali-linked fire incidents. Fire brigade teams in both Mumbai and Pune brought all reported blazes under control.
What are the fires in Vidyavihar, Dongri, and Jogeshwari about?
Three separate fires reported in Vidyavihar, Dongri, and Jogeshwari on Sunday night are distinct from the 142 Diwali incidents logged by the Mumbai Fire Brigade. Mumbai Police confirmed the causes are under investigation and have not yet been officially established.
How has Pune's Diwali fire count changed over the years?
Pune's Diwali fire figures show a fluctuating but overall rising trend: 21 incidents in 2021, 19 in 2022, 35 in 2023, 60 in 2024, 43 in 2025, and 94 in 2026 — the highest in the six-year period tracked by the fire department.
