Diwali Firecracker Injuries: 21 Individuals Treated at PGIMER's Advanced Eye Centre, Mostly Children

Twenty-one individuals, primarily children, sought treatment at an advanced eye care centre for burn injuries from Diwali firecracker accidents. Six required surgery, and all have undergone operations, according to a statement from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.

PGIMER's Trauma Centre managed five additional burn cases linked to Diwali festivities on Thursday. Among these, an 18-month-old boy sustained 30% burns on his right side, while a 16-year-old girl suffered 50-55% burns mainly on her upper body. Both are stable and receiving care in the burn ICU.

Diwali Firecracker Injuries

The Advanced Eye Centre at PGIMER received 21 patients with burn injuries over 48 hours, including 12 children. The centre had anticipated such injuries during Diwali and activated special emergency protocols to ensure immediate treatment for firecracker-related cases reported between October 30 and November 2.

Among those treated at the eye centre, eight were from Chandigarh, while others hailed from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Twelve of the injured were bystanders, with the remainder actively involved in bursting crackers themselves.

Emergency Protocols and Staffing

The eye centre ensured round-the-clock staffing of doctors, nurses, and allied personnel to treat burn injuries. Two teams were formed: one comprising retina, cornea, glaucoma, and oculoplasty specialists attended to patients upon arrival. Those needing surgery were swiftly transferred to a surgical team for immediate care.

In Chandigarh, Diwali was celebrated on Thursday with restrictions allowing only green crackers between 8 pm and 10 pm. Despite this, many continued bursting crackers beyond the permitted time on both Thursday and Friday.

The PGIMER statement highlighted that twelve of the injured were bystanders during the incidents. The remaining individuals were directly involved in setting off the fireworks themselves.

The other three burn cases are being managed at the Advanced Trauma Centre OPD. They are receiving appropriate care for their injuries as per the statement issued by PGIMER.

The proactive measures taken by PGIMER's Advanced Eye Centre ensured that all patients received timely treatment for their injuries during this festive period.