MARGAO, March 22 -- Team Herald

Within 48 hours of the massive blast and fire at a gunpowder storage facility that rocked Naqueri-Betul on Thursday night, the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) has suspended the licences of Hughes Precision Manufacturing Pvt Ltd, which was operating the storage facility.

PESO's decision came after a site inspection on Saturday, which aimed to assess the damage and determine the cause of the incident. Preliminary findings suggest that significant safety protocol lapses occurred at the facility, raising concerns about the handling and storage of hazardous materials. The bast had shaken buildings around the area, with the fire visible for many kilometres in all directions, though there wer...