As many as 70 fire incidents in Himachal Pradesh, including 21 major fire incidents, kept the fire and rescue department across the state on the toes this Diwali.

According to the Diwali report prepared by fire control room, Shimla of the Fire department, while no loss of life was reported, however, property worth Rs 1.67 crore was gutted in the fire.

Swinging into action the fire department managed to save property over Rs 22.43 crore.

The fire incidents include all major, medium and small, that was reported from the respective fire stations and fire post from across the various districts across the state.

The fire cases were reported between the intervening nights of 6 to 7 November. The total fire incidents include 21 major, 4 medium and 45 small.

The fire incidents that were reported from the various districts include Shimla and Solan 12 each, two each in Kullu and Chamba, Una (6), Kangra (15), Bilaspur (3), Mandi (5), Hamirpur (5) and Sirmaur (8).

However, no fire incident was reported from the two tribal district Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti. The major fire incidents causing loss to the tune of Rs 45 lakh was reported from Birta in Kangra district in a Honda Scooty showroom.

The fire is said to have been caused owing to the fire cracker rocket. The fireman managed to save property worth Rs 1 crore. The major house fire causing huge loss to property was reported from Churah in Chamba district, causing loss of Rs 7 lakh.

In yet another major house fire in Lamba Thach village under Thunag in Mandi district, property worth Rs 4 lakh was razed to the ground. Station Fire Officer, Shimla DC Sharma said, “Even as this year the number of fire incidents during Diwali was more, however, loss to property was much less as compared to the previous year. In 2017 there were 58 fire incidents, causing loss of property worth Rs 4.11 crore.”

In 2016 there were 72 fire incidents causing loss of property worth Rs 89.8 lakh, while in 2015 there were 55 fire incidents causing loss to property amounting to Rs 1.1 crore. 2014 reported 31 fire incidents and property loss accounted to Rs 25.6 lakh, where as in 2013 there were 24 fire incidents during Diwali, causing loss of property of Rs 47.5 lakh.