Municipal markets face fire safety concerns following Arpora tragedy

Margao: The devastating fire in a nightclub at Arpora that claimed 25 lives has highlighted the vulnerability of municipal markets in the major towns of the state to fire hazards. Here, hundreds of traders and thousands of daily visitors remain vulnerable to potential disasters due to years of inaction on basic safety infrastructure.Municipal markets in many major towns, including Margao, Vasco and Mapusa, operate with grossly inadequate firefighting capabilities, non-functional fire hydrants and rampant encroachments that could prove fatal during emergencies. The situation is particularly alarming at Margao’s twin markets – the new municipal market and the Gandhi market, which accommodate over 1,000 traders dealing in highly flammable materials, including chemicals, foam and tarpaulin. “The highly congested market leaves no access for fire tenders in case of fire,” a senior fire and emergency services official said. Traders have encroached upon passages with impunity, blocking all possible evacuation routes, while most shops lack basic firefighting equipment.An overhead water tank project in Margao—essential for maintaining adequate water pressure for firefighting operations—has languished for over a decade due to bureaucratic delays. The proposed 25,000-litre capacity tank would provide pressure equivalent to five fire tenders, yet remains incomplete despite repeated demands from the New Market Traders Association. “The safety of shopkeepers and customers is our top priority, but the delay in constructing the water tank has left us vulnerable,” says association president Gopal Naik.In Vasco, the Mormugao municipal Market battles frequent small fires due to haphazard electrical wiring and non-functional hydrants. Traders point to non-working hydrants that pose a “grave threat” in the bustling market.Mapusa’s fire hydrants, installed in 2013 following a devastating blaze that destroyed 16 shops, have been rendered useless due to low water pressure from domestic pipelines. Municipal authorities have failed to conduct periodic fire audits or enforce fire safety conditions, as most traders operate without trade licences.Former chairperson of Margao Municipal Council Savio Coutinho said, "With hundreds of businesses and countless daily visitors at risk, the need for immediate action has never been more urgent."