PATHANAMTHITTA: Eight persons suffered injuries and at least four shops were gutted in a major fire at Pathanamthitta central junction on Friday afternoon. The fire first broke out in a banana chips-making shop from where it spread to other nearby shops after a gas cylinder exploded. The banana chips shops and a bakery were completely gutted in the fire incident, police said.
Police said the seven persons who suffered burn injuries are undergoing treatment at Pathanamthitta General Hospital and one person is admitted to Kottayam Medical College Hospital. Six fire force units from Pathanamthitta, Konni, and Adoor were pressed into service to bring the fire under control.
Pathanamthitta district collector Divya S Iyer said that a probe will be conducted into the fire incident.
A fire force official said the department suspects that the fire first occurred in a banana chips' making unit and from there it spread to other shops. "Seeing the fire, people and employees of the shops ran out and it averted the major damage. We suspected that the gas cylinders exploded while trying to bring the fire under control. Hearing the sound of the explosions, people ran out from other shops, buildings, and nearby houses. So it created panic among the people and we are trying to find the exact cause of the fire,” said the fire force official.