Four workers critical at GMC; welding sparks suspected to have triggered fire; police cite safety lapses, probe underway
The scene inside the vessel where the fire took place in Loutolim, on Friday evening.
MARGAO
Two workers lost their lives while five others sustained burn injuries due to what the Goa Police termed as a sudden fire outbreak on a vessel under construction at Vijay Marine Shipyard, Loutolim, on Friday evening.
Police said the seven injured workers, who were reportedly engaged in the welding work on the vessel, were rushed to the South Goa District Hospital. Two of the workers were declared brought dead at the South Goa District Hospital. Of the remaining five injured, four have been immediately shifted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim after their condition was found critical.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Margao DySP Sidhant Shirodkar informed that prima facie, the lapse appears to have occurred due to alleged negligence and failure of the safety supervisor to ensure proper safety precautions and functioning protective gadgets. He said the safety supervisor allegedly acted in a rash and negligent manner by not following safety measures thereby leading to sudden fire during the welding operations.
DySP Shirodkar informed that the incident occurred at around 5.30 pm on Friday when the seven labourers engaged in welding work on a vessel under construction sustained burn injuries due to a sudden fire outbreak. “Preliminary inquiry revealed that the workers were provided with safety equipment by the safety officer/ supervisor who was entrusted with the duty to supervise the operations. The incident occurred while the labourers were carrying out welding operations in a confined section of the ship,” he said.
The injured were immediately shifted to the hospital for medical treatment. “Prima facie, the lapse appears to have occurred due to negligence and failure of the Safety Supervisor to ensure proper safety precautions and functioning protective gadgets. The safety officer acted in a rash and negligent manner by not following safety measures thereby leading to sudden fire during the welding operations leaving the workers injured,” he said.
Medical Superintendent, South Goa District Hospital, Dr Rajendra Borkar told The Goan that a total of seven workers were brought at the hospital. “Of the seven, two were declared brought dead. Of the remaining five workers, their condition was termed as critical since they have sustained major burn injuries. The lone worker undergoing treatment at the district hospital has escaped with minor burn injuries,” Dr Borkar added.
The injured workers includes Abhishek Kumar (25 years), Manish Chauhan (27 years), Santosh Kumar (27 years), Mohammed Babloo (27 years), all native of Uttar Pradesh, besides three others, whose full name not known, sustained serious burn injuries.
DySP Shirodkar said the Maina-Curtorim police has registered an offence under Section 106 , 115, 118 of the BNS Act.
Work stopped, site sealed for probe
MARGAO: The Inspector of Factories and Boilers, who rushed to the Vijay Marine Shipyard after the incident, has directed the management to stop all operations forthwith.
The Inspector of Factories has also told the police to cordon off the entire area to facilitate proper inquiry into the incident.
A bomb disposal squad was also requisitioned at the incident site after the incident.
Not blast, but fire: Collector
MARGAO: Chairperson of the South Goa District Disaster Management Authority, and District Collector, Egna Cletus, IAS, said the incident at the Vijay Marine Shipyard was not an explosion or blast, but a fire incident. Officials of the disaster management authority, comprising of Deputy Collector, Margao, Laxmikant Desai, Deputy Collector in the Collectorate, Velton Tellis, besides Salcete Mamlatdar Gaurav Gaonkar visited the shipyard after receiving the report on the incident.
The Collector told The Goan that preliminary inquiry has pointed out that the vessel was painted only on Thursday. “It is reported that a reaction took place when welding work was carried out today, triggering a fire,” she said.
She said the Inspector of Factories and Boilers has started investigations into the incident, adding that the authorities will initiate further action based on the inquiry report.
