Team Herald

SANGUEM: A plantation owned by one Dinanath Samant was gutted in a fire reported on Tuesday at Cotarli, Sanguem.

Cashew, coconut and other fruit bearing trees were destroyed in the fire.

Sources informed that the fire was initially put in a neighbouring plantation to clear the bushes and it is learnt to have spread to a nearby bamboo plantation in an open space. The situation went out of control as the fire spread. The locals immediately summoned the fire department personnel to douse it.

The fire officials managed to douse the fire. However, a small spark later caused a major fire which reportedly emerged from the ashes on the following day and gutted the adjoining plantation owned by Dinanath Samant.

Though the fire brigade was summoned at the site, major portion of the plantation was reportedly gutted. Sources informed that over 250 cashew trees, several coconut and mango trees have been reported to have been destroyed in the fire.

Samant who was solely dependent on the plantation for his livelihood has put the loss to be around Rs 8 lakh. Samant claimed to have spent major part of his life in taking care of the plantation and is now left devastated on account of the incident.