- Vivek Agnihotri's balcony sofa caught fire from a stray rocket during Diwali celebrations
- His dogs alerted him in time, preventing a major accident
- Fire-resistant fabric of the sofa helped contain the fire
Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has shared that his balcony sofa caught fire after being hit by a stray rocket during Diwali celebrations. The filmmaker said the incident could have turned serious, but his dogs alerted him in time, helping prevent a major accident.
Taking to X, Agnihotri shared the incident while addressing Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde. He revealed that the fire-resistant fabric of the sofa also helped contain the situation.
Sharing his experience, he wrote, "Last night, our balcony sofa caught fire after being hit by an errant rocket. Thankfully, our dogs alerted us in time, and the fire-resistant fabric helped prevent a potentially serious accident. We had always feared something like this could happen. This time, we were lucky but what about other victims?"
The filmmaker went on to raise concerns about the safety risks posed by stray rockets during Diwali, while also pointing out that celebrating the festival should not come at the cost of putting lives and property in danger.
"Who doesn't love celebrating Diwali? But errant rockets are not a cultural pride, they are a fire hazard. Our great culture doesn't permit us to put innocent lives, homes and property at risk," he added.
Agnihotri also called for stricter enforcement of safety rules and accountability from the authorities. While acknowledging the mayor's appeal, he said that merely urging people to be careful would not be enough without proper action.
"Your appeal may have come a little late, but it will mean little without strict enforcement. More importantly, accountability must not end with those bursting crackers. Those responsible for creating awareness, enforcing court orders, ensuring fire safety and preventing such violations must also be held accountable. I hope the authorities will investigate the fires across Mumbai and fix responsibility wherever negligence or failure to enforce the law is established."
Vivek Agnihotri is known for directing films such as The Kashmir Files and The Bengal Files.
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