Mushroom factory destroyed in fire in Usgao

Ponda: A mushroom growing factory at Usgao, Ponda, was gutted after the sawdust used as spawn to grow the mushrooms caught fire on Saturday evening. The sawdust stocked was highly combustible and was being shifted out with the help of an excavator to avoid spread of blaze until late night.

The fire was first noticed by some people at around 8pm and they alerted the Ponda firemen. Two fire tenders were used to control the fire.

Although the source of the fire was not known, the firefighters were struggling for hours to overcome the raging fire, said Subhash D Naik, leading fire fighter attached to the Ponda central fire station.

After bringing the fire under control, the firefighters moved out the sawdust to avert further fire, Naik said.