Survivor undergoing treatment at District hospital.
MARGAO
Mystery shrouds the exact cause behind Friday’s tragic incident at the Vijai Marine Services, Loutolim “ whether the incident that left three workers dead and four injured was due to “blast” or by a “flash fire”.
For, while one of the survivors who escaped with minor injuries, as well as the local residents claimed they heard a big sound, the Inspector of Factories has attributed the incident to a flash fire in the Fore Castle Compartment.
The injured worker, who spoke to the media at the South Goa district hospital where he is undergoing treatment for bone dislocation, said the workers had just come out from the compartment at around 5.30 pm when he heard a big sound leaving the workers injured.
Incidentally, the Inspector of Factories, Pandurang Malik has said there was an occurrence of flash fire in the Fore Castle compartment causing burn and other injuries to the workers.
In his report, Malik has observed that observed that on October 17, 2025 at 17.30 hrs approximately, while the workers were engaged in the hot work activity (electric arc welding / gas cutting) in Fore Castle Compartment and cleaning/ material shifting activity on the deck outside Fore Castle Compartment on starboard side of the under construction 80M Landing Craft vessel, there was an occurrence of flash fire in the Fore Castle Compartment causing burn and other injuries to the said workers. Further investigation in the matter is in progress.
Meanwhile, the Chief Inspector of Factories and Boilers Anant Pangam has said it is essential to ascertain the exact cause of accident in order to prevent recurrence of similar or such accidents in future and also essential that all the routine and non-routine activities / operations being performed in the factory premises are safe and without risk of any bodily injury and the methods of work adopted are safe.
