Dy Collector, Margao has not received any report on cause of tragic incident
File photo of the vessel under construction.
MARGAO
On October 17, 2025, a massive fire cum blast on an under construction vessel at Ms Vijay Marine Services Pvt Ltd at Rassaim-Loutolim had claimed the lives of five workers due to burn injuries.
A day later on October 18, Chief Inspector of Factories and Boilers Anant S Pangam had issued a host of directions to the occupier and manager of Vijay Marine Services, Loutolim prohibiting all activities and operations of the under construction 80M Landing Craft vessel on which the accident had occurred, until further orders.
Amongst the directions, includes the direction to conduct Root Cause Analysis of the accident through recognised Occupational Safety & Health Auditor so as to ascertain the exact cause of the accident and submit action taken report on the findings. The management was further directed to prohibit all the confined space work in the entire factory premises until further orders.
Exactly a month later, questions are being raised as to what had caused the fire/blast, whether the Chief Inspector of Factories and Boilers has ascertained the exact cause behind the fire/blast in the under-construction vessel, whether the fire was accidental or took place due to alleged negligence.
When The Goan called up South Goa district Collector, Egna Cleetus, IAS, who is also the Chairperson of the South Goa District Disaster Management Authority, to shed light on the cause behind the incident, she said the matter falls in the domain of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Boilers.
Officials of the Inspectorate of Factories and Boilers were not available for comment, but an order dated October 31, 2025 issued by Sanjay R Naik, Chief Inspector of Factories & Boilers (I/C) shows that Vijay Marine Services had submitted the Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Report prepared by the recognized OSH Auditor, along with the proposed Action Plan addressing the recommendations. The company had further requested the Chief Inspector of Factories and Boilers 30 day period to submit compliance with the pending directives referred to at Sr. No. (iv) and (v) in the order issued on October 18.
The company had also requested to revoke the prohibitory order issued by the Chief Inspector and to pave way for the resumption of activities on the launched 80M Landing Craft Vessel and confined space works within the factory premises.
It is clear that by the order dated October 31, 2025 the Chief Inspector of Factories and Boilers (I/C) had revoked with immediate effect the directives issued to prohibit all activities/operations related to the under-construction 80M Landing Craft vessel on which the accident occurred, as well as all confined space work within the entire factory premises, subject to the condition that pending compliance with the directives mentioned at Sr. No. (iv) and (v) above is submitted within 30 days from the date of the order.
Directive (iv) pertain to conduct/review Hazard Identification & risk assessment (HIRA) for all routine and non-routine activities through the said Auditor and submit an action taken report on the findings thereof. While directive (v) is in relation to the preparation/review Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for all the routine and non-routine activities/operations being performed in the factory premises through said Auditor and submit an action taken report on the findings.
A deputy Collector, Margao handling the matter has informed that other than the order dated October 31, 2025 issued by the Chief Inspector of Factories and Boilers, his office has not received any report stating the cause behind the tragic incident, claiming the lives of five workers.
