A fire broke out late Saturday at Margao’s crowded Gandhi Market, gutting a metal mart that sold home appliances. The incident caused panic as the flames threatened to spread through the congested marketplace.
The fire started shortly after the shop had closed for the day. Nearby vendors were the first to notice the smoke and quickly raised the alarm. Without waiting for help, they worked together to control the flames until the fire brigade arrived. Their quick response prevented what could have been a major disaster.
Rajendra Ajgaonkar, president of the Gandhi Market Vegetable and Readymade Garments Association, called it a miraculous escape. “It feels like Lord Damodar saved the market. Imagine the destruction if this had happened during the dead of night,” he said.
Ajgaonkar urged the authorities to treat this as a wake-up call and renewed the demand for a long-promised overhead water tank to ensure a steady water supply during such emergencies.
The fire has once again exposed how dangerously vulnerable congested markets like Gandhi Market remain to fire hazards, underlining the urgent need for improved safety infrastructure.