Smoked out, Saipem villagers return to homes & normalcy

CALANGUTE: Saipem in Candolim, located at the foot of the hillock where the Berger-Becker factory caught fire on Tuesday, wore a deserted look overnight after residents moved out of their houses following a health department advisory.
The fire generated toxic gases due to the burning of huge quantities of chemicals and other raw materials used in the manufacture of paints.
Candolim sarpanch Fermino Fernandes said that the Goa Pollution Control Board teams that arrived in the area following the fire on Tuesday evening detected toxic elements in the air in the vicinity of the factory, which were around five times above normal.
He said the panchayat members immediately mobilised volunteers who phoned residents and went house to house informing them about the situation and advising them to temporarily shift to another location for one night. “All of them shifted to their relatives’ or friends’ places,” the sarpanch said.
A grocery store owner said he shifted to a relative's house in Anjuna, but had to return early morning to take delivery of his milk stock and serve customers. “We were told to make our own arrangements,” he said.
Occupants of tourism properties were also evacuated. Most residents returned on Wednesday morning. “There were two policemen patrolling throughout the night as all the houses were locked and the area was deserted,” Fermino said.