Foul play, carelessness caused fire at Goa Pilerne Industrial Estate paint factory?

PANAJI: An element of carelessness as well as foul play could be the reason for the massive fire at Goa’s Pilerne Industrial estate near the State capital on Tuesday.

Officials who inspected the site at first hand after the cooling operations were completed opined that foul play cannot be ruled out and the company has set up an internal enquiry team to look into the causes that led to the fire.

According to a PTI report, due to thick smoke engulfing the Pilerne Industrial Estate area near Panaji after the massive fire in the paint manufacturing plant, nearly 200 people living in the vicinity moved elsewhere on their own, an official said on Wednesday.

The blaze erupted in the Berger Becker Coatings factory located in the industrial estate at around 2.30 pm on Tuesday, North Goa district collector Mamu Hage said.

The district administration subsequently issued an advisory, asking people living within two kilometres radius of the factory to shift elsewhere as the smoke could cause health issues, particularly to children and senior citizens.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant along with senior officials visited the factory site on Tuesday night to take stock of the situation.

The fire was brought under control in the wee hours of Wednesday, a senior district administration official said.

Around 200 people living near the factory site moved elsewhere on their own, the official said. ”The government did not have to intervene as the people on their own went to the places of their relatives and friends,” the official said.

Collector Mamu Hage in the health advisory asked people living near the fire site to ensure circulation of fresh air in all buildings (both residential and commercial) by keeping doors and windows open and switching on ceiling fans, exhaust fans etc, especially in bedrooms.

The residents were advised to avoid using air-conditioners and keep away from closed areas which do not have any kind of air circulation. The people were also asked to avoid using face mask.

The advisory also said in case of any symptoms of breathing difficulty, people should contact the nearest health centre or the casualty department of the Goa Medical College, or 108 service (for any emergency). ”High risk people with asthma or chronic respiratory illnesses and infants are advised to be shifted to safer areas till the situation comes under control,” the advisory said.

The district administration also advised the public not to visit the incident site for any purpose. CM Sawant on Tuesday said the government has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

(With inputs from PTI)