Dozens injured in Diwali celebrations in AP

Dozens of people, mostly children, were injured in accidents during Diwali celebrations in Andhra Pradesh Tuesday night.

As many as 25 people, including 12 children, were brought to government-run Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital in Hyderabad. The children, all aged below 10 years, were admitted with grievous eye injuries sustained while bursting crackers.

Concerned parents said some of the children had tried to find out why a cracker had not exploded after being set alight, when it suddenly exploded.  

State minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao also sustained minor burn injuries on his hand while bursting crackers at his friend's house in Visakhapatnam. He had visited a hospital in the coastal city Tuesday to call on seven children who were injured in a blast in a firecrackers unit in Anakapalli town Nov 11.

Several fire mishaps were also reported from across the state overnight. 

Fire services received as many as 30 calls. However, there was no loss of life.

Thirty houses were gutted in Pottayapalem village in Demkada 'mandal' of Vijayanagaram district. The cause of the fire, however, is still not known.

A major fire broke out at a sewing machine factory in Ramnagar area in Hyderabad in the early hours of Wednesday. A nearby apartment was also evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Three shops and a house were damaged in another fire accident in Begumbazar area of Hyderabad Tuesday night.

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IANS