Daijiworld Media Network - Mapusa

Mapusa, Dec 18: A devastating fire gutted the residence of Umesh Kandolkar at Bamanwada, Nanoda, in Bicholim taluka on Wednesday, destroying wedding preparations and causing losses estimated to be over Rs 10 lac, according to the family. Fire services, however, initially assessed the damage at around Rs 5 lac.

The incident occurred when the house was unoccupied. Kandolkar had left for work around 8.30 am, while his wife and daughter had departed earlier at about 7.30 am to visit a sick relative in hospital. The family was alerted to the fire only in the afternoon.

Suspecting foul play, Kandolkar said the back door of the house was found open despite being locked when the family left in the morning. “Before leaving the house, I had even put off the lamp of the deity,” he said, ruling out negligence.

The fire destroyed valuables kept for an upcoming wedding, including Rs 2.5 lac in cash, gold ornaments and newly purchased clothes. Kandolkar said the cash had been borrowed from a women’s self-help group to buy jewellery for the marriage.

Fire services received the distress call around 2.30 pm. Fire officials said the blaze originated in the kitchen and quickly spread to the living room, damaging household items such as a television, refrigerator, wooden cupboards, electrical wiring, electronic equipment and parts of the roof.

Local MLA Chandrakant Shetye and police officials visited the spot to assess the damage. Fire tenders managed to bring the flames under control in time, preventing the fire from completely destroying the structure, though the interior of the house was extensively damaged.