Malpe : Four country boats and a small boat on Malpe Beach at Padukere near a transformer that sparked of a fire due to short circuit, burnt all those boats costing a lost estimated to be Rs. 40 Lakhs. This is not first time boats have caught fire in Malpe. This 5 boats were the property of an Association of Fishermen, members of which came running to the spot and inform the police and the fire brigade which arrived in a short time to douse the fire.

The firemen struggled two put out the fire caused by the electric machine on the beach. It is not known if these charred boats had been insured for fire risks or not.

The boat had been earlier used and owned by as many as 42 fishermen in the locality. The Malpe police have registered a case of fire loss on the five boats that were gutted by the unexpected fire from an electric short circuit at Padukere on Malpe Beach.