Fire brigade forced to reroute via Rawanfond; infra lapses flagged; safety concerns raised
The height barrier installed at the Nessai IDC road. Firefighting underway after delay of one hour.
MARGAO
A major fire at an under-construction frozen fish processing unit at the Nessai Industrial Estate on Saturday afternoon has once again brought the controversial height barrier on the Nessai road under scrutiny.
Locals have termed the incident a “wake-up call” for the South Goa district administration, urging authorities to increase the height of the barrier to allow emergency vehicles unhindered access.
The fire broke out at around 12.45 pm. The Margao fire brigade rushed to the site immediately upon receiving the call, but their vehicle was unable to pass through the height barrier installed near the Nessai railway crossing, where work on a road over bridge is currently underway.
With no alternative, the fire tender had to return and reroute via Rawanfond road, eventually reaching the site nearly an hour later.
Fire Officer Gill D’Souza confirmed that the delay was caused by the barrier. “Much time was consumed in travelling since the height barrier blocked our vehicle from reaching the site on time,” he said.
Property loss estimated at Rs 2.5 L
The blaze resulted in the destruction of 20 to 25 insulated panels at the under-construction facility, with the owner estimating losses at over Rs 2.5 lakh. According to Fire Department sources, the incident occurred while workers were applying glue to thermocol sheets. The adhesive, being highly inflammable, reportedly triggered a reaction and caught fire, which quickly spread to nearby panels.
Residents raise safety concerns
Local residents stated that they had previously approached authorities demanding an increase in the height of the barrier. While minor adjustments were made to allow school buses to pass, they alleged that emergency services were not taken into consideration.
“We will once again approach the Sao Jose de Areal Sarpanch to urge district authorities to raise the height of the barrier. Imagine if a residential house had caught fire – it could have resulted in total devastation,” residents said.
They also pointed out that the barrier has been preventing heavy vehicles from accessing the road, creating ongoing logistical challenges.
Lack of water storage facility raises alarm
The incident has also highlighted the absence of a dedicated water storage facility within the Nessai Industrial Estate. With the fire brigade delayed, workers at the site and nearby units relied on water supplied by local residents and neighbouring industrial units to contain the blaze.
Social activist Freddy Travasso demanded that IDC officials clarify whether adequate emergency infrastructure exists within the estate.
“This should serve as an eye-opener for the IDC authorities to make provision for a dedicated water storage facility inside the industrial estate to meet emergency situations,” Travasso said.
The incident has renewed calls for authorities to urgently review infrastructure and safety measures at the Nessai Industrial Estate to prevent similar situations in the future.
