THE GOAN NETWORK
VASCO
A fire gutted a sugarcane juice stall in the Vasco vegetable market near T B Cunha Chowk in the wee hours of Tuesday.
The fire, which was reported at about 5.15 am, was swiftly controlled by the Vasco fire station, preventing it from spreading to nearby shops in one of Vasco's busiest markets during the day.
Vasco Fire Officer Dilip Bicholkar stated that the loss was estimated at about Rs 1.5 lakh, but the fire brigade saved property worth approximately Rs 5 lakh.
Bicholkar also highlighted a critical issue during the incident where many vendors did not have the contact number of the Vasco fire station and instead dialled 100 and other emergency services.
“I’ve taken this opportunity to raise awareness and have provided vendors with all three contact numbers of the fire station,” he said.
He further emphasised the importance of preparedness in such densely packed markets.
“The market is a closely-knit setup with stalls adjacent to each other. A fire in one stall can easily spread to the entire market, causing a major disaster. It is crucial that vendors have immediate access to the fire station number,” Bicholkar added.
