KOCHI: Saturday’s fire outbreak at the building of Tripunithura Municipality was caused by a short-circuit inside the room where bleaching powder, other inflammable chemicals and fertilisers were stored.
Initial inquiry estimates the losses to stand at `2 lakh, say officers. Municipal Chairperson Chandrika Devi has lodged a petition before the police seeking an inquiry into the incident.
“We did not know the reason for the fire. We have not directed to store any flammable substance inside any room. Hence, we have sought a comprehensive inquiry,” said Chandrika Devi, who was among those present in the nearby main Municipal office building when the fire broke out.
The incident is said to have occurred around 2.45 pm. However, eyewitnesses said thick, black toxic fumes began emanating from one of the three storerooms on the ground floor of the Layam Shopping Complex by 2.30 pm. Workers and shopkeepers from both Block A and Block B of the shopping complex had ran out of their shops after many of them began feeling severe suffocation due to the thick toxic fumes came out of the storeroom.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel struggled for at least two hours to control the flames.
“We received the distress call around 2.55 pm. Three fire tenders were pressed into service. Stockpiles of bleaching powder, other inflammable chemicals and plastic waste which were dumped inside the room were completely gutted by the time we reached,” said a fire officer.
As the chemical’s caught fire, the blaze got out of control and charred at least two two-wheelers parked just outside the building. A few people stranded on top of the building were brought down after water was pumped on stairs. Adding to the firemen’s woes, the building lacked fire and safety facilities and the lift inside was non-functional. The building houses many institutions, including KSFE, which were not affected as fire and rescue personnel managed to control the fire without it engulfing more areas.
The three storerooms had been lying closed for over a week and housed highly-toxic chemicals used for fogging and plastic buckets meant for waste collection. Residents said the items had been kept in the highly congested storerooms for over a year.