MARGAO
A major fire gutted a candle manufacturing unit at Colva in the wee hours of Wednesday, destroying property worth around Rs 10 lakh.
Fire broke out in the unit owned by the Lotlikars at around 2.30 am and soon spread to the entire factory, destroying the 15 machines as well as the finished goods. Only the raw material which was stocked in the same premises was, however, saved from the inferno.
Premanand Lotlikar pointed out that the incident occurred at around 2.30 am due to a suspected short circuit. “We stay in the adjoining building and the fire spread to the unit by the time we woke up,” he said.
Lotlikar said all the 15 machines which were used in the manufacturing of the candles were gutted and destroyed in the fire. “These candle-making machines are no longer available in the market today. The fire has destroyed these machines,” he said.
The Margao fire brigade that rushed to the spot could not start the fire fighting operations immediately because of the overhead wires. The entire fire fighting operation is believed to have ended at around 6 in the morning.
Lotlikar has pegged the total loss to around Rs 10 lakh, though he said the raw material stocked in the same premises was saved.
