The spark that caused an alarm in the new market.
MARGAO: An electric spark at an underground power cable at the Margao New market gave some anxious moment to the market traders around Monday noon.
While the traders stated that only providence saved the day for the market as the spark did not trigger a major fire, the incident has come as a grim reminder that the mega New Margao market is susceptible to fires.
While the power department pointed out that a spark to an underground cable, President of the New Market Association Vinod Shirodkar claimed this is the second time that the cable was the cause of the electric spark. “Fortunately, the spark did not result in a major fire”, he said, even as he made a fervent plea to the Power department to ensure that the such incidents do not occur in the future.
Vinod, however, took strong exception to the non-functional telephones at both the control room of the Power department and the fire services. “Since our call could not go to the Fire brigade, we then decided to call the Margao police station before the incident was conveyed to the fire services via the police control room number”, he said.
He further said that the traders tried to frantically convey the incident to the power department, but hastened to add that the calls were not going on the two numbers of the Power department control room. “Just imagine a situation if the spark could result in a major fire incident in the New market and the traders were helpless in contacting the fire service”, he said, while demanding that the control room telephone numbers of the fire services and Power department are immediately restored.
He also reiterated the demand of the New market traders to station a fire tender right in the heart of the commercial capital, preferably near the markets, so that the fire brigade can start the fire fight operations without wasting time.
