A major fire has broken out in New Modern Municipal Market, commonly known as Vasco Sunday Market, Goa and the Chief Minister of Goa Pramod Sawant has promised compensation and assistance to traders who suffered heavy losses in the incident.
The fire broke out late Wednesday night, October 28, and caused extensive damage to shops and merchandise at the busy market in Vasco da Gama, a major port town in South Goa.
As many as a couple hundred shops were destroyed and several traders had to suffer heavy financial losses just two days before Diwali.
Goa Government Assures Compensation
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant visited and met officials at the affected market area. On Thursday, he confirmed that the fire was completely under control and said the government would provide whatever assistance we can to those who have been affected by it, including financial compensation.
Sawant said the concerned departments were doing a detailed assessment to determine the damage. The government would decide on the assistance required based on the findings of the assessment.
Hence, residents and traders were told to be watchful, we need to protect the lives and property of people in the affected areas, the Chief Minister said.
The Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane said his department was in contact with the affected traders and was working with the authorities to make sure that restoration measures were carried out systematically.
More Than 150 Shops Suffer Damage
The fire caused extensive destruction of the market, where traders sell clothing, footwear, bags, household goods, utensils and other everyday things. Most shopkeepers also had their stores brimming with goods ahead of the Diwali shopping season.
The destruction of these goods has added to the financial difficulties for traders, who depend on the market for their livelihoods. With the damaged shops and merchandise to be rebuilt and the vendors’ losses recovered, it is now their job to rebuild their businesses.
VIDEO | Vasco market fire: Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, who rushed to the spot along with local legislators and a state minister, said more than 150 shops had been gutted in the fire. The cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained, he said. #VascoFire #GoaNews (Source: Third Party) (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd)
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 29, 2026
Firefighters worked for more than four hours to fight the fire. Fire tenders from several agencies were brought in to prevent the flames from spreading.
In the market fire, no injuries were reported, officials said. The exact financial loss of traders has not been established yet, however.
Safety Restrictions Imposed Around Market
After the incident, the South Goa district administration banned people from entering the fire-hit market and the surrounding area within a 50-metre radius. The restrictions were made in the interest of the structural damage and falling debris and possibly hazardous materials.
The order bans traders, vendors, customers and other people from entering the restricted area except authorised persons performing some sort of official work. The restrictions are said to be valid until November 1, 2026 unless modified or withdrawn earlier.
And authorities are to monitor the affected premises and check the structural stability of the building before allowing access, he said.
The cause of the major fire has not yet been confirmed. The circumstances of the incident will be assessed as part of the assessment.
Traders Await Relief and Recovery
The government’s compensation assurance has given traders some hope to traders who have lost their shops and stocks. But the amount of financial assistance and the timeline for its distribution remain unclear.
With the vendors they will have to get relief at once to get them back up and running and recover from the losses they have come across in this holiday season.
As damage assessment is ongoing, public safety remains an immediate concern and the extent of damage remains to be determined and that of the Vasco market fire victims and its immediate effects.
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