Fire at Honda plantation, Rs 80,000 loss estimated

Valpoi: A fire that started in dry grass quickly spread to a nearby coconut and betelnut plantations at Nawadar, Supachi Pud in Honda, Sattari, on Sunday afternoon.

Fire officials said the incident was reported at around 1.40pm near a petrol pump in the area. The blaze engulfed a portion of the plantation owned by Shantaram Mahale, causing an estimated damage of Rs 80,000. However, the fire personnel managed to control the blaze and saved property worth approximately Rs 1.4 lakh.

Firefighters used a hose reel to control and extinguish the flames. Reinforcements from the Bicholim Fire Station were also deployed to assist in the operation and after a combined relief operation, the blaze was doused.

The firefighting team included leading fireman Arvind Dessai, firefighters Somnath Gaonkar and Gangaram Pavne, and pump operator Ashok Naik.