Surat: The Surat Fire & Emergency Services (SFES) handled over 200 fire and rescue calls on Sunday and Monday, with two persons suffering minor burn injuries in a fire incident in Vesu.According to SFES data, garbage fires accounted for the highest number of calls, at 86. Firefighters also responded to 28 house fires, 11 electric short-circuit incidents, 11 farm fires and four rescue operations. Other calls included eight involving hutments, four shops, two godowns and one factory. Nine calls each involved vehicles and trees, while 10 incidents were categorised as “other”.The records also show four fires involving wood, three involving gas, and one each at a service station, scrap yard, firecracker shop and cattle shed.Officials said the surge in calls coincided with heightened fire risks during Diwali, prompting SFES to deploy substantial resources. A total of 88 vehicles were pressed into service for firefighting and rescue operations during the period.To maintain readiness amid the spike in emergencies, SFES temporarily extended duty hours from eight to 12 hours. “SFES employees are posted on 12-hour shifts to ensure maximum personnel are present on duty instead of the normal eight-hour shifts,” said Basant Pareek, chief fire officer, SFES.“Due to the 12-hour duty schedule, we can keep maximum staff available, considering the high number of calls during Diwali. The staff will return to routine duty hours after 48 hours,” Pareek added.
