FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: In a major fire incident reported at Damodar Regency Hotel cum commercial building near Anta Fonte Garden in Margao, five shops were gutted in the wee hours of Tuesday. The property destroyed in the inferno is estimated to be nearly Rs 2.43 crore. Two tourists escaped with minor injuries while Margao Police with the help of Fire and Emergency Services personnel rescued nearly 42 to 50 domestic tourists from the hotel.
The fire incident was reported at around 2.30 am, when all the tourists in the hotel were fast asleep. The building is owned by one Sachit Naik. Shop owners Shailendra Mishra, Aspat Hussain, Rohan Ravat and others suffered massive losses.
Ravi Raman and Vilas Kumar sustained minor injuries; however they were discharged from the Hospicio hospital following medical treatment.
Police said, a police patrolling team noticed the six-storey hotel cum commercial building on fire at around 2.20 am. Soon, the personnel of the Fire and Emergency Services, Margao were alerted about the incident.
"A major fire was noticed on the first floor of the building, wherein a Christmas sale was organised by Ms Raave E Pvt Ltd. Later, it was noticed that other four garment shops on the ground floor were gutted ", said a police official.
Police, besides fire tenders from Curchorem and Verna rushed to the site. Deputy Collector and other officers were present at the hotel.
The Margao Police personnel led by PI Tukaram Chawan and firefighters rescued nearly 42 people, including children from the rooms who were suffocated due to the massive smoke, as result of fire. The two injured persons were taken for the medical treatment to the Hospicio Hospital, and all others were shifted to the Circuit House at Moti Dongor.
"Along with my friends I arrived in Margao from Delhi in the late hours. We witnessed a major fire in the building soon after occupying the rooms. It was a lucky escape for us", said Raj.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel said the owner of the Christmas gallery suffered a loss of nearly Rs 80 lakh, while owners of other four garment shops claimed loss in lakhs.
