Hyderabad celebrated the lively festival of lights, Diwali, with great enthusiasm on Thursday. However, the celebrations were marred by several reports of eye injuries in the city. Many people were hurt while setting off fireworks and are currently being treated at S D Eye Hospital.
A total of 47 people, including children, sustained various eye injuries due to firecrackers. Fortunately, 39 of them had minor injuries and were discharged after being given antibiotics, anti-allergic medications, and anti-inflammatory drugs. However, eight patients with more serious conditions are still under treatment. Among the injured is a six-year-old girl who suffered an eye injury when a piece of sparkle broke and lodged in her eye.
A doctor from the hospital explained that some patients had burnt eyelids and complained of pain. Many of these injuries occurred when people tried to light crackers that didn’t ignite immediately. In some cases, even bystanders were injured while watching fireworks explode.
Dr. Najasi Begum, the RMO at S D Hospital, reported that they received over 50 cases of cracker-related injuries since Wednesday. She mentioned that most of the patients are children and young people. A special team of senior doctors has been set up at the hospital to handle such cases. Two children have already undergone minor surgeries to remove sparkles lodged in their eyes.
In addition to eye injuries, cases of fire-related injuries were reported at Osmania General Hospital and Gandhi Hospital. According to OGH superintendent Dr. G Nagender, seven patients were treated for burns and bodily injuries caused by mishandling firecrackers. The city received 26 emergency calls during Diwali, with 12 more calls coming in after midnight. Although there were no major injuries, there were close calls and property damage, highlighting the risks of the festival.
One serious incident took place in Himayatnagar, where a fire broke out in an apartment. Fire Service personnel explained that the family left the premises with a fire still burning, which likely caused nearby clothing to ignite. The fire spread rapidly, and three fire tenders were rushed to the spot after an alert was raised at 10:34 pm.
