HOUSE GUTTED: The house damaged in a fire at Gaonkarwada, Honda.
VALPOI
A family had a narrow escape after their house was gutted in a fire at Gaonkarwada-Honda in the early hours of Tuesday.
The blaze broke out around 3.10 am at the residence of Naresh Gaonkar while the family was asleep. The occupants managed to flee to safety, but the flames spread rapidly, leaving no time to salvage belongings.
Local residents rushed to the spot and attempted to douse the fire before alerting the Valpoi Fire and Emergency Services. Firefighters led by K C Naik reached the site, followed by a second team. After nearly two hours of firefighting, the blaze was brought under control and completely extinguished around 6 am.
Furniture, clothing, household articles, electrical appliances and other valuables were destroyed in the fire. Preliminary estimates put the loss at around Rs 3 lakh.
“The fire broke out suddenly and we could not save anything. All our household belongings were destroyed,” said Pritika Gaonkar, the house owner’s mother, appealing for government assistance.
The incident drew a large number of villagers to the site, with residents urging the authorities to conduct a damage assessment and provide compensation to the affected family. Several social organisations have also appealed for support.
Officials said a detailed report is being prepared, while investigations are underway to ascertain the cause of the fire.
