THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two furniture shops near Pattom here were gutted in a fire which broke out on Saturday morning. Kerala Furniture Mart and Cane Wooden Furniture Mart, situated at Marappalom, were the shops gutted in the fire. According to witnesses, the sofa sets and all furniture of Kerala Mart and Cane Furniture of Cane Mart were destroyed in the fire, which broke out around 7 a.m.
The proprietors of the shops informed that they incurred heavy financial losses. Meanwhile, two elderly women who were residing in a house situated near the shops were rescued quickly by the locals. The cause of fire is still unknown. Museum police have asked the forensic officials to inspect the location. Vehicular movement was affected along the National Highway after the fire. Six fire-fighting units from Chacka and Chenkalchoola stations rushed to the area and doused the fire after a hour-long operation.