Firecracker safety tips and burn first aid

Last updated: 24 October 2026

The safest way to light crackers is outdoors, in an open space, one at a time, at arm's length, with a bucket of water and an adult close by. If someone gets burned, cool the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes, cover it loosely with cling film or a clean cloth, and get medical help for anything larger than a coin, on the face, hands or genitals, or on a child.

These tips apply to every cracker, including green crackers: a lower-emission formula burns just as hot. For questions about our products, see the FAQ.

What should I keep ready before lighting crackers?

• Two buckets: one of water and one of sand. Drop used sparklers and duds into the water.
• A long agarbatti or a long-handled lighter, not a matchbox, so your hand stays away from the fuse.
• A first aid kit with cling film, clean gauze and a bottle of clean water.
• A torch, so you can read the instructions on each box and see the ground.
• The phone number of your nearest hospital, and 112 for emergencies in India.

What should I wear while bursting crackers?

Wear close-fitting cotton clothes and closed shoes. Synthetic fabrics such as nylon and polyester melt onto the skin when they catch fire, and loose dupattas, sarees and kurta sleeves can trail into a spark. Tie back long hair. If you can, wear plain safety glasses; eye doctors recommend protective eyewear for anyone handling fireworks (American Academy of Ophthalmology).

How do I light a cracker safely?

1. Read the box. Each item has its own instructions and safe distance. Our Diwali crackers names list explains how each type is lit.
2. Choose open ground, away from parked cars, dry leaves, balconies, windows and electric wires. Put ground items on a flat, hard surface.
3. Light one at a time. Never hold a cracker in your hand unless it is a sparkler.
4. Stand to the side and lean away, with your arm fully stretched. Never bend over a cracker.
5. Step back immediately to a safe distance, and keep everyone else behind you.
6. Point rockets and sky shots straight up, in a bottle or tube that can't tip over, away from buildings and people.

What should I do if a cracker doesn't go off?

Don't go back to it, and never try to relight it. Wait at least 15 to 20 minutes, then pour water over it from a distance or cover it with sand, and leave it soaked overnight before throwing it away. Many injuries happen when people bend over a "dud" that suddenly fires.

How do I keep children safe around crackers?

• An adult should be with children every moment, including with sparklers.
• Give children one sparkler at a time, hold it away from the body, and drop it into water when it finishes. A sparkler can burn at around 1,000°C (about 2,000°F, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission).
• Keep children well behind the line when adults light rockets, cakes, bombs or walas.
• Store unused crackers in a closed box away from where you are lighting, and out of children's reach.

How should I store crackers at home?

Keep them in their original boxes, in a cool, dry place, away from the kitchen, the puja diya, candles and any heat source. Don't keep them in a car in the sun. Bring out only what you are about to light.

What is the first aid for a firecracker burn?

Act quickly. The steps below follow advice from the NHS, the Mayo Clinic and the World Health Organization.

1. Stop the burning. Move the person away from the cracker. If clothes are on fire: stop, drop and roll, or smother the flames with a heavy cotton blanket.
2. Cool the burn under cool or lukewarm running water for 20 minutes. This is the single most useful step. Start as soon as you can.
3. Remove rings, bangles, watches and clothing near the burn, before it swells. Do not pull off anything that is stuck to the skin.
4. Cover the burn loosely with cling film laid on top (not wrapped tightly) or a clean, non-fluffy cloth.
5. Keep the person warm. Cool the burn, not the whole body; children and older people can get cold quickly.
6. Give paracetamol for pain if needed, following the dose on the pack.

What should you never put on a burn?

• No ice or iced water. It can damage the skin further.
• No toothpaste, butter, ghee, oil, haldi or ointments. They trap heat, can cause infection, and make it harder for a doctor to assess the burn.
• Don't burst blisters.
• Don't use cotton wool or fluffy cloth, which sticks to the wound.

When should a burn be seen by a doctor?

Go to a hospital emergency department straight away if:

• the burn is larger than the person's palm, or deep (white, brown, leathery or painless);
• it is on the face, hands, feet, joints or genitals;
• the person is a child, an elderly person or pregnant;
• clothing has melted onto the skin;
• the person inhaled smoke, is coughing or has a hoarse voice.

For any burn that blisters, ask a doctor, even if it seems small (NHS). Call 112 in an emergency.

What to do if a spark gets in the eye?

Eye injuries from crackers need a doctor immediately. The American Academy of Ophthalmology advises:

• Don't rub the eye.
• Don't try to rinse it out and don't press on it.
• Don't try to remove anything stuck in the eye.
• Don't apply ointment or give pain medicine before a doctor sees it.

Go straight to an eye hospital or emergency department, even if the injury looks minor.

How can I protect pets and older people?

Keep pets indoors in a quiet room with the windows shut and some background noise, such as a fan or soft music. People with asthma or heart and lung conditions should stay indoors while crackers are being lit nearby and keep their medicines within reach. Choosing quieter items such as sparklers and anars, listed in our names list, helps everyone.

Quick safety checklist

Planning your Diwali? See the Diwali 2026 date and the crackers price list 2026.