PANJIM: A minor fire broke out on the under construction pier, supporting the cable-stayed third Mandovi Bridge on Friday afternoon creating a panic situation with traffic coming to a halt.
However, prompt response from the Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services brought the situation under control within 10-15 minutes.
“We received a call at around 2.13 pm about a fire atop pier 33. We rushed our fire tender to the Old Mandovi Bridge from where the entire operation was carried out. The huge flames were doused within 10-15 minutes and our team also rescued three workers from the site,” said a fire officer after the rescue operation. As per preliminary report, plywood caught fire while the construction work was underway.
GSIDC Vice Chairman Siddhart Kunkalienar has asked the contractor for a report on the mishap. In a media statement, he stated, “A minor fire broke out at pier 33 of new Mandovi Bridge as hessian cloth wood around the pier caught fire due to short circuit of a power cable. The fire has been contained and normalcy restored. GSIDC has asked the contractor to submit a detailed report on the minor mishap to avoid any such incidents in future.”
The incident led to traffic snarls for some as many commuters stopped by the side of the highway to watch the rescue operation. The traffic and local police were also present at the site.
