VASCO
A massive fire ripped through a cluster of scrapyards in Zuarinagar in the early hours of Wednesday, reducing several warehouses to ashes and sending thick black smoke billowing across the sky.
Despite the scale of the blaze, no injuries were reported in the incident.
The blaze, visible from several kilometres away, triggered a multi-station firefighting response as the inferno rapidly spread across adjoining scrapyards situated in close proximity.
According to preliminary information, the fire is suspected to have originated in one scrapyard, possibly due to a short circuit, before quickly engulfing neighbouring yards storing industrial and metallic waste.
The congested layout and the presence of highly combustible materials contributed to the rapid spread, resulting in extensive damage.
Vasco fire station officials said they received a distress call around 3 am.
“When we reached the site, the fire had already spread to nearly eight scrapyards. It was far beyond what a single station could handle, so we alerted Headquarters and called for reinforcements from Verna, Margao and Zuari Industries,” an official said.
He added that multiple fire tenders were deployed through the night to contain the flames.
“There were also reports of two cylinders exploding at the site. Our teams are prioritising the removal of remaining cylinders to prevent further blasts. The assessment of losses can only begin once the fire is fully extinguished.”
A scrapyard owner stated that the fire may have started due to an electrical short circuit. He said five to six major warehouses storing industrial scrap were completely gutted.
The area is believed to host around 50 scrapyards, many of which operate in tightly packed spaces that pose significant fire hazards.
Firefighters continued operations through the morning, dousing hotspots and preventing the fire from spreading to nearby residential pockets. A detailed investigation is expected once the remnants cool and the site is safe for inspection.
