KOCHI: As many as 40 people had a narrow escape after a massive fire broke out in a three-storey building at Karukutty near Angamaly on Friday.
The fire erupted around 4 pm in the building of New Year Group of Companies and was doused by Fire and Rescue Services personnel around 9 pm.
The local people who noticed the fire engulfing the front portion of the building alerted the staff, which helped them move out quickly.
“Since the fire broke out at the front portion of the building, the staff escaped through the backside,” said Jino, who runs a bakery near the building.
Four fire units from Angamaly and Chalakkudy took nearly five hours to bring the fire under control. Though initial reports suggested that a short-circuit might have led to the accident, the police are yet to confirm it. “As per the information, one one is missing.
But local people said that one person is trapped in the building. So far we could not confirm it,” a police officer said.