Panaji, Oct 29 More than 150 shops were destroyed after a fire broke out at a market in Goa’s port town of Vasco, officials said on Thursday.
The major blaze tore through the market around midnight on Wednesday, causing extensive damage to shops and goods. No one was injured in the fire, they said.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who rushed to the spot along with local legislators and a state minister, said more than 150 shops had been gutted in the fire. The cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained, he said.
“The incident is unfortunate, as vendors who had stocked their shops with essential items for Diwali have suffered major losses,” the chief minister said.
He stated the state government would provide financial assistance to the affected shopkeepers.
Officials said firefighters brought the fire under control after more than four hours of operations.
Eyewitnesses claimed there were three separate fire incidents in Vasco in a short span.
The first fire was reported around 10.30 pm on Wednesday at a house on the outskirts of Vasco. A second incident occurred at a garage, where two vehicles were gutted.
Minutes later, a major fire broke out in the town’s prominent market, prompting vendors to make desperate attempts to salvage their stock.
Director General of Police Alok Kumar told PTI that fire tenders from various establishments, including the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Goa Shipyard Limited and Mormugao Port Authority, were pressed into service to control the blaze.
(PTI News)
