KOCHI: A fire broke out in a building at Cherai, which housed the CPM’s branch office, a 40-year-old reading room and two shops, in the wee hours of Sunday. The loss from the fire is estimated at `10 lakh.
The Munambam Police have registered case based on a complaint filed by the building owner. While the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, the police also suspect sabotage involving political activists.
The party office and the reading room are on the first floor of the building, which is situated near SM High School.
The fire, which was first spotted in the reading room, later spread to the shops on the ground floor. The fire also spread to a nearby house. ‘Pooja’ materials and utensils stocked in the shops were destroyed completely in the fire.
“The fire spread fast to all parts of the old building, which has been constructed with wooden planks. The fire was extinguished by a Fire and Rescue Service team from Paravoor,” said the police. ENS