TENKASI: A fire broke out at the branch office of Indian Bank, located on the first floor of a private commercial complex near the Old Bus Stand in Sankarankovil around 7 am on Monday.
The fire was doused after nearly two-and-a-half hours, and the incident triggered panic in the busy commercial locality. Police sources said more than 10 computers, several pieces of electronic equipment, and bank documents were damaged in the fire, the cause of which is yet to be ascertained.
The branch office had remained shut during the weekend, and no staff member was present when thick smoke billowed from the premises in the morning. Sources said passers-by alerted the Sankarankovil Town police and the Fire and Rescue Services personnel, following which two fire tenders and 15 personnel from Sankarankovil and Vasudevanallur fire stations rushed to the spot and battled the blaze for nearly two-and-a-half hours before bringing it under control.
Power supply to the area was temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure. Police sources said that bank officials are assessing the extent of the damage and verifying whether cash and gold kept in the lockers are safe. Traffic was severely affected in the area, which typically witnesses heavy vehicular movement in the morning. Sankarankovil Town police have registered a case and initiated an investigation.