Fancy store, bookshop gutted in fire at Puthenkurish near Kochi

The fire which broke out around 4 am at Bel Ladies Fancy Centre was first noticed by newspaper agents who alerted the police and the fire department.
Firemen douse the fire at a fancy store in Ernakulam district on Friday (L); Damaged property in the fire that left the fancy store ravaged (Photo | Express)
Firemen douse the fire at a fancy store in Ernakulam district on Friday (L); Damaged property in the fire that left the fancy store ravaged (Photo | Express)

KOCHI: A ladies' fancy shop situated adjacent to the KSRTC bus stand at Puthenkurish, some 20 km from here, was ravaged by a fire on Friday morning.

Vishnu S, a 30-year-old fire officer of Pattimattom, suffered injuries during the operation to put out the fire. He is admitted to Kolencherry medical college with burn injuries on his hand and knee, police said.

The fire which broke out around 4 am at Bel Ladies Fancy Centre was first noticed by newspaper agents who alerted the police and the fire department.

"By the time we reached the spot around 4.15 am, thick smoke and huge flames almost engulfed the shop. Since the shutters of the shop were closed, it took a tremendous effort to open the door to douse the fire. Several perfume bottles which were stored inside the shop went off in the fire," TC Saju, station fire officer, Pattimattom told TNIE.

He said one of his colleagues also suffered severe injuries in the operation to douse the fire. "Even a book store inside the shop, which was run by the same owner, was also gutted. We were able to douse the fire before it spread to adjacent shops which include a bakery," said Saju.

It took almost five hours for the fire department personnel to completely douse the fire. Five fire tenders from Trippunithura, Pattimattom and Mulanthuruthy, under Station officer TC Saju, were engaged in dousing the fire. Though the preliminary investigation found that a short circuit set off the blaze, the exact reason is yet to be ascertained. As per the estimate, the fancy items worth Rs 20 lakh were completely reduced to ashes.

"A preliminary investigation suggested that a short circuit resulted in the fire. An investigation needs to be carried out to find the exact reason. So far we do not doubt any suspicious elements involved in this case," a police officer attached to Puthenkurish station told TNIE.
 

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