Arambol Beach Shacks Gutted in Fire, No Casualties Reported
In a distressing incident early Saturday, six private shacks at Arambol beach in Goa were completely gutted by a fire. The blaze, which broke out around 2:15 am, caused significant property damage but, fortunately, resulted in no loss of life. This event comes just four months after the tragic inferno at the Arpora-based nightclub, Birch by Romeo Lane, where 25 people lost their lives, highlighting ongoing fire safety concerns in the region.
Firefighters Face Access Challenges
Pernem MLA Jit Arolkar, who was present at the scene, pointed out that the lack of proper road connectivity to the shacks severely delayed the response of fire tenders. As a result, a fire brigade vehicle attempted to access the area via the beach but became stuck in the sand before reaching the site. This obstruction forced locals, firefighters, and shack employees to take matters into their own hands, using buckets of water, sand, and fire extinguishers brought from neighboring restaurants to combat the flames. The firefighting operation lasted approximately two hours, with the blaze finally being extinguished around 4 am.
Preliminary Investigation and Official Response
Preliminary investigations suggest that a short circuit may have caused the fire, although the exact cause is still under investigation by authorities. Director of Fire and Emergency Services, Nitin Raiker, stated that the estimated loss from the incident is around Rs 30 lakh. He also noted that most of the affected shacks lacked proper permissions, raising questions about regulatory compliance.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has directed the North Goa collector to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit a report on the incident. He emphasized that, thankfully, no untoward incidents were reported as tourists and employees had already left the shacks. Sawant has instructed collectors to implement precautionary measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Eyewitness Accounts and Local Impact
According to shack owner Haresh Mayekar, two staffers initially observed sparks on an electricity pole. Before they could alert the owners, the fire rapidly spread, engulfing two additional shacks. The shacks were situated in close proximity to each other, with some even touching nearby houses, which could have escalated the disaster if not for the timely intervention of the community.
Of the six shacks involved, two had previously shut down operations due to an LPG cylinder supply issue, while four were operational at the time of the fire. The Mandrem police have registered the case as a fire accident, and further investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the blaze.
