Antique furniture, priests’ belongings, and Fabrica records destroyed
Calangute: The priests’ residence at St Lawrence Church, Sinquerim, was gutted in a fire on Sunday morning, suspected to have been caused by a short circuit. Damages are estimated to be nearly Rs 1 crore.
According to Parish Priest Fr Lester Cardozo, the fire broke out in a priest’s room while he was offering prayers in the church. “It is very unfortunate that a fire broke out in the priests’ residence, which is also part of the church. The fire broke out around 5.30 am in the room of another priest who had come to the church to offer prayers. When we realised it was too late and the fire couldn’t be brought under control. Range is also another issue but we somehow managed to call the Fire Fighting Team with the help of our Fabrica members,” said Fr Cardozo.
He said that the fire brigade arrived at 6.30–7am and managed to bring the fire under control after two hours.
“Our Fabrica room was also gutted in fire which destroyed the documents of the Fabrica. We however continued with our Sunday Mass in spite of the fire engulfing the room. The loss cannot be estimated as of now. We will be moving out of the residence for safety reasons.”
The fire service teams from Pilerne and Mapusa were already engaged in another fire incident in Calangute and reached Sinquerim only after the blaze spread. Local MLA Michael Lobo, who inspected the site, said damages could amount to almost Rs 1 crore.
Fire guts shack items in Calangute, loss pegged at Rs 15–20 lakh
Calangute : A fire in the early hours of Sunday destroyed shack-related items and fishing equipment belonging to local resident Cruz Fernandes of Madda Vaddo, Calangute, causing losses estimated between Rs 15 and Rs 20 lakh.
The Fire Service teams from Pilerne and Mapusa were pressed into action to contain the blaze.
Fernandes said, “With shack business hardly a few months away it will be difficult for me to set up the shack. The fire started at 2.30–3 am, raising suspicion that it was deliberate. By the time I got the information and reached here, it was already gutted in fire.” The exact cause is being ascertained.
