The number of firework accidents increased from 110 in 2015 to 238 in 2018, before remaining volatile during and after the Covid-19 period. In 2024, 110 such cases were recorded.
During this period, the annual number of casualties ranged from 147 to 357. More than half of the deaths recorded between 2015 and 2024 occurred in just four states: Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
The high number of deaths in Tamil Nadu may be linked to the presence of the largest number of firecracker manufacturing facilities in Sivakasi. This suggests that casualties from firework mishaps may not necessarily occur at the consumer end, but could also take place at manufacturing factories.
In 2026, almost every month has witnessed at least one firework-related accident in different parts of the country. This year has also seen major incidents involving nine firecracker factories — mostly illegal — and a house storing crackers, together claiming 92 lives.
