PATHANAMTHITTA: A massive fire broke out at the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) warehouse and an adjacent office in Pulikeezhu in Tiruvalla on Tuesday night, destroying liquor worth several lakhs of rupees.
Officials said the fire, which erupted around 8.15pm, has gutted a significant portion of the warehouse. According to residents, there were some welding works going on in a building in the area. Some of them alleged that a spark from these works can be the reason behind the fire.
“As the spirit was stored in the bottles, the fire intensified,” a local resident said.However, the fire force officials did not respond to this. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown.
Seven fire departments were deployed at the site to control the blaze. Despite relentless efforts for over an hour, the fire could not be brought under control, and a large section of the facility was reduced to ashes. According to initial reports, due to the fire, small explosions occurred with the burning of liquor bottles. Near to the godown, there is a distillery producing Jawan brand liquor.
A senior fire department official confirmed that a portion of the godown was destroyed. “An investigation into the cause will follow once the fire is fully extinguished,” the official said.
The incident is likely to cause significant financial loss for Bevco and raise concerns about the safety measures at its warehouses. The authorities are expected to assess the extent of the damage and initiate a detailed inquiry into the incident.