Property worth Rs 1 cr gutted
VASCO, APRIL 9
Raw materials, machineries and property worth nearly Rs 1 crore were gutted when a major fire broke out in a drinking water packaging factory at Sancoale Industrial Estate in the wee hours of Friday.
It is suspected that fire could have occurred due to short circuit in one of the electricity panels at the Fine Pet packaged drinking water factory.
One eyewitness, Nazim, who was working in the adjacent factory, informed his owner about the incident, who in turn informed the emergency service.
“It is learnt that fire might have caused due to short circuit, but we are investigating the cause,” said Vasco Fire Brigade Station officer Bosco Ferrao.
“No one was present in the factory when the fire broke out, as the main gate was locked. It took nearly two hours to bring the fire under control and complete the extinguishing operation,” said Ferrao.
“We had to break the windowpane to carry out extinguishing operation, the fire fighters wore breathing equipment and later opened the main gate and entered in the factory,” added Ferrao.
He further informed that fire tenders from Vasco and Verna were engaged in the extinguishing operation.
“Director of Fire and Emergency Ashok Menon visited the site to take stock of the situation,” he said.
“We have managed to save property worth nearly Rs 50 lakh, besides preventing it from spreading to adjacent factories,” said Ferrao.
Speaking to media, Fine Pet proprietor Uday Naik said he had recently stocked raw materials, as the season had commenced.
“Raw materials, machineries, shed and factory properties, all worth nearly Rs 1 crore have been stated Naik.
He said Fine Pet is a bottling unit for water bottles and since the season has commenced, he had bought huge stock of raw material.
“Three labourers were staying in the factory, but a couple of days ago, they had gone to their native place, and no one was present in the factory at the time of the incident,” said Naik.
He said power fluctuation occurred often in Sancoale Industrial Estate, thus it is suspected that short circuit is the cause of fire.
