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Addressing a function on the occasion of National Fire Service Day, which is observed on April 14, on Friday, Sawant praised the Fire and Emergency Services of Goa for their efforts in responding to distress calls and urged the public not to make hoax calls as they burden firefighters. The chief minister said that the department (Fire and Emergency Services) saved properties worth Rs 169.53 crore during the last financial year. During the same period, properties worth Rs 81 crore were lost, he added.
Sawant said Goa saw two major fire-related accidents, including the forest fires across the state, which were fought back by the firefighters. The blaze at a paint manufacturing company at Pilerne Industrial Estate near Panaji was also successfully controlled by firefighters, he said. According to Sawant, the department attended 3,288 fire-related and 7213 non-fire-related calls in the last financial year.
“Unfortunately, there were nine hoax calls made during the year,” the chief minister said appealing to people to desist from such mischief. The fire and emergency services saved seven human lives from fire incidents during the last year, he said, adding that 10 persons lost their lives due to fires during the same period.