Fire triggers LPG blasts at Candolim shop, two injured

Candolim: Locals from Candolim had a narrow escape on Friday afternoon when two LPG gas cylinders exploded at Perry General Stores at Orda. The blast, which firefighters believe was triggered by a fire from a short circuit, destroyed a two-wheeler and a part of the store, causing losses running into lakhs of rupees.A couple in their sixties suffered burn injuries and were shifted to a private hospital at Candolim. The injured were identified as Lawrence Pereira, 68, and Esmeralda Pereira, 62, the owners of the store.“We got a call at 11.52am. We reached at 12.02pm and found that two cylinders had exploded,” a firefighter said. “The owners said that the cause of the fire was a short circuit. They saw the fire start at the wires, and from there it spread to some cloth, oil, and other goods. We called for firefighting reinforcements from Porvorim, so we had two vehicles on site.”The fire also damaged four to five cold storage freezers and all the goods in the store. “The fire was sudden. The blast happened later. We are okay. We got slightly hurt because we tried to put out the fire,” Lawrence said.The fire began at 11.30am, and initially, the locals tried to put it out, but it began to spread rapidly. Firefighters stopped it from creeping up to a residence behind the shops. The injured escaped with minor burn injuries and bruises on their hands and faces. After treatment, the couple was discharged from hospital in the evening.