CALANGUTE: Around 50 huts were gutted in a major fire which broke at Agarvaddo, Calangute after a LPG cylinder exploded on Sunday afternoon.
There are a large number of hutments and other small houses with migrants from Karnataka and other states residing there for many years. The land belongs to the family of Calangute panchayat member Mathias D’Souza. “The fire started at about 12.30 pm. We do not know the cause,” he said, adding that around 70 people were affected.
“A gas cylinder exploded in one of the huts and this could be the likely cause of the fire,” said an official from the Pilerne Fire Station. “The fire station received a call at 1.25 pm informing us of the blast, following which our staff rushed to the spot. Fire tenders from Panjim, Porvorim and Mapusa also came to our rescue as the blazes were spreading rapidly to neighbouring hutments. However, as the area did not have proper access, fire fighters found it difficult to contain the blaze,” added the official.
A resident said the fire started probably due to a gas cylinder exploding and quickly spread to the neighbouring huts as most of them were shut. People in the area initially attempted to douse the fire using buckets of water, but more gas cylinders were exploding with the spreading fire. Fire fighters said around 15 cylinders exploded as the flames began to spread, while they managed to remove around 25 cylinders. Residents also managed to remove their cylinders and other possessions.
The whole area was a mangled heap of melted aluminium sheets, poles and the burnt possessions of those staying there. The fire was brought under control by around 5 pm.
One person received minor burn injuries while attempting to douse the fire.
Most of the residents have been staying in the slum-like area at Agarvaddo for a long time, they said. While some are from Karnataka, others are from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
