During Diwali celebrations, Mohali’s fire control room received reports of fire at 17 different locations with 56 people across the district suffering burn injuries in separate incidents, with its AQI falling into ‘unhealthy’ category, Tuesday.
A major fire broke out near Shri Laxmi Narayan Temple in Phase 11, where a parked Ertiga taxi suddenly caught fire, allegedly due to a falling spark from a firecracker. The fire department received the alert at 12.20 AM, and a team from Sector 65 reached the spot within four minutes. By then, the car’s front portion was completely burned. But the team of firefighters managed to douse the fire within seven minutes, preventing it from spreading to nearby vehicles.
The car’s owner has not yet been identified, and police are investigating the case.
Expressing concern, locals urged the administration to enforce stricter firecracker regulations to avoid such incidents in the future.
In another incident, a heap of garbage near Guru Nanak Market in Phase 1 caught fire, triggering panic among shopkeepers and residents. The firefighters rushed to the spot and quickly brought the blaze under control. Although no loss of life or property was reported, the fire caused tension in the crowded market area.
In addition, Mohali’s air quality took a sharp dip, raising health concerns among residents. The Air Quality Index (AQI), which was around 118 on Monday, shot up to 172 by Tuesday, falling into the ‘unhealthy’ category.
Experts warned that air with AQI levels between 150 and 200 poses significant risks, particularly for children, the elderly and patients with asthma or heart conditions.
According to environmental experts, the sharp decline in air quality was primarily caused by Diwali firecrackers and stubble burning in nearby areas. Fresh data shows that PM 2.5 levels rose to around 80, while PM 10 exceeded 100, both of which are hazardous enough to penetrate the lungs and cause serious respiratory ailments.
