Overview

• On August 4, the Bedford Fire Department responded to reports of heavy smoke from an Indian family’s garage during a housewarming havan.
• Fire officials spoke with the family, found no code violations and declined to issue citations.
• The Instagram post by @BengaliFalcon71 documenting the encounter went viral over August 4–5, drawing global attention.
• Social media reactions ranged from warnings about wooden homes’ fire hazards to defenses of the family’s right to conduct traditional puja.
• A Canadian Hindu group has formally called for cultural-sensitivity training for local emergency services to avoid future misunderstandings.