MAPUSA
At least 50 shanties were reduced to ashes after a massive fire engulfed a slum area at Agarvaddo, Calangute, behind Fern Residency guest house, on Sunday afternoon.
Though one resident suffered minor injuries while retrieving goods, no loss of life was reported.
A team of fire officials from Pilerne, Mapusa, Porvoim and Panaji reached the spot around 1.30 pm.
Four fire tenders were pressed into service and the flames were doused after one hour.
With no proper access to fire tenders to enter in the area, the fire personnel had a tough time to bring the fire under control as the shanties were located in close proximity to each other.
Mapusa Fire Officer In-charge, Srikrishna Parrikar informed that at least seven LPG cylinders blasted in the raging fire even as the fire officials removed more than 50 cylinders from the burning shanties.
“The fire tenders could not go to the area as there was no access. We had to use hose pipes of 150 metres length to reach the spot and carry out fire-fighting operations,” Parrikar informed.
Late in the evening a visit to the fire-ravaged slum revealed that the slum-dwellers were in search of their valuables.
“It was a big fire. Before anyone could understand what was happening the blaze spread fast and engulfed the adjoining shanties. We have lost all our belongings,” said Rizim B, a slum dweller.
While the reason behind the fire is being investigated, the authorities say that prima facie it appeared to be a short circuit.
