Three huts gutted in fire; compensation assured
the goan I network
MAPUSA
According to fire officials, fireworks were lit in a guest house at Maddowaddo-Calangute by some tourists. “A firework rocket fell on a hut due to which two huts were gutted and one was partially damaged. A boat made of fibre was also damaged. The total loss is pegged at Rs 20 lakh,” they said. The huts belonged to Manuel Cardoz and Felix Fernandes, who had stored all the shack material in their respective huts.
Three fire tenders from Pilerne, Mapusa and Panaji fire stations were pressed into service. The fire was doused after three hours of struggle.
Goods like refrigerator, bed, furniture and bamboo were destroyed.
Later, about 150 people led by the hut owners confronted the guest house owner and demanded compensation.
Calangute police rushed to the site and pacified the crowd. Calangute MLA Micheal Lobo also rushed to site to take stock of the situation. Later, the guest house owner agreed to compensate the hut owners, following MLA Lobo’s intervention.
Meanwhile, Lobo said the affected shack owners will be given compensation from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and his one-month salary will be given as compensation.
The Calangute Panchayat has also declared to give Rs 25,000 each to the affected
hut owners.
