THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A major fire broke out at a godown of an aquarium near DPI junction here triggering panic among the nearby residents in the city on Friday afternoon. However, no casualties have been reported. The fire broke out around 3 pm at the two-storeyed building of the godown where pets, including ornamental fish, were kept.
Immediately, the neighbours and locals alerted the Fire and Rescue team, and two units of fire tenders were pressed into service. Since the godown is located on a narrow road and heavy smoke billowed from the building, the firemen initially had a tough task entering the premises to douse the fire. The fire spread to three nearby houses, and all the residents were evacuated with the timely intervention of the fire and rescue team.
Later, three more fire tenders rushed to the spot, and they started containing the fire with the help of local people. The local people have also assisted the fire department by giving buckets of water to extinguish the fire. The ground and first floor of the building have been reportedly charred completely in the fire. The fire has been brought under control. A fireman said the damage has yet to be evaluated.