Team Goemkarponn
VASCO: A suspected short circuit is believed to have triggered the massive fire that swept through Vasco’s Sunday Modern Market late Wednesday night, gutting around 140 shops and causing extensive losses to traders just days before Diwali.
The incident has brought the market’s fire safety preparedness under scrutiny, particularly following reports that several installed fire hydrants were non-functional during the firefighting operation.
The fire rapidly engulfed the densely packed commercial complex, destroying clothing, festive merchandise and other goods stocked by traders for the Diwali season.
Several shopkeepers had received fresh consignments from Mumbai and other locations earlier that day, making the incident a major setback for businesses dependent on festive sales. Losses are feared to run into several crores of rupees.
While a short circuit is suspected to have caused the Sunday Market fire, the reported failure of fire hydrants has raised concerns over the maintenance of essential fire safety infrastructure.
In a congested market where shops are located close to one another, operational hydrants are critical to supporting firefighting efforts and containing the spread of flames.
The incident has therefore raised questions over whether the market’s fire safety installations were being regularly inspected and maintained. A detailed assessment of the electrical infrastructure, hydrant network and overall safety arrangements will be crucial in establishing whether the disaster was solely the result of an electrical fault or was aggravated by shortcomings in fire safety preparedness.
Two other fire incidents were also reported in Vasco the same night, one at a car accessories shop near Tilak Maidan and another in New Vaddem. A short circuit is suspected in the automobile accessories shop fire, while the cause of the New Vaddem incident remains unclear. No casualties were reported.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant visited the affected areas around 12.30 am and stated that the Sunday Market fire had been brought under control. He assured affected traders of necessary government assistance, including
financial compensation.
With around 140 shops gutted and traders facing substantial financial losses, the incident has brought renewed attention to fire safety standards in crowded commercial establishments.
The findings of the investigation will be important in determining the cause of the blaze and whether any lapses in safety preparedness contributed to the scale of destruction.
